Ajinkya Rahane as Captain – Risk or Masterstroke?

Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane for KKR .Image :X

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have started training for the IPL, and it is but obvious that the captaincy will be in focus at the start of the competition. A caveat – Ajinkya Rahane is a good friend of mine, and this needs to be disclosed. Having said that, it is a pertinent question to ask whether Ajinkya is indeed the right man to lead KKR in what isn’t his preferred format.

Aakash Chopra made an interesting point at the recently concluded Trailblazers Conclave, where he said Rinku Singh could have been given the captaincy. While Aakash said that the boat has now sailed, he did make the point that if Rajasthan Royals could go with Riyan Parag, or CSK with Ruturaj Gaikwad, why could Rinku – a certainty in the team – not be given the responsibility? He has captained in the UP League and could well be a long-term investment.

Take the case of Rahane and the auction. KKR did not buy him at the first opportunity. Had he been the first-choice captain, logically KKR should have snapped him up the moment his name came up. They did not buy him even in the first round of the accelerated auction, and only in the final round did KKR invest in him. Against this backdrop, as Aakash suggested, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that making Ajinkya captain could have been an afterthought, with few leadership options available in the squad.

Ajinkya, as skipper, has a proven track record for India. The 2020-21 series against Australia will forever remain one of the greatest wins in Indian cricket history. But then, T20 isn’t his format of choice. While he has rediscovered himself in recent times and has scored at a decent strike-rate, is it enough in an age of high-risk, high-reward cricket? Ajinkya’s strike-rate in 2025 was a very respectable 141. Now, going by that strike-rate, the team total comes to 165–170. Is that enough in modern T20 cricket, or is 190–200 a basic requirement in the IPL?

The other question is where Rahane will bat. Can he bat at the same pace as someone like Travis Head, Phil Salt, or YashasviJaiswal? While teams will open with Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Priyansh Arya, Ruturaj and the like, can Rahane – more of a classical batter – keep pace? Can he transform his game at this stage of his career? Rahane as captain could well be a success if Rahane the batter is able to turn a new leaf. Unless he delivers with the bat, it will be next to impossible for Rahane the leader to stand out.

The other thing I would want Rahane to do is sit down with Sujan Mukherjee and ensure the pitch does not become the talking point. Whatever the surface is, it should not become a matter of discord between the skipper and the curator. It leads to unnecessary distraction and takes the focus away. He would rather focus on Varun Chakaravarthy, for an in-form Varun is a must for KKR to mount a strong charge for the title.

Is Rahane as captain a risk or a masterstroke? The jury is out.

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