Ajinkya Rahane is likely to bat at No. 3 for Kolkata Knight Riders, at least to start with, RevSportz understands. The defending IPL champions have appointed Rahane as their captain for the 2025 season, but the question remains if the 36-year-old is an automatic pick in the playing XI. KKR’s intra-squad match at Eden Gardens on Saturday dropped a big hint on the skipper’s batting position.
The Kolkata-based franchise has more or less retained their winning core, although in a mega auction year they had to part ways with some of their key players. Quinton de Kock has been brought in as a like-for-like replacement for Phil Salt and he is set to open with Sunil Narine. KKR broke the bank for Venkatesh Iyer, forking out Rs 23.75 for the all-rounder at the auction. But Shreyas Iyer’s departure – their title-winning captain – created a leadership conundrum.
Rahane has a stellar record as a captain at various levels. He presided over arguably India’s greatest-ever Test series win, in Australia in 2020-21. He led Mumbai to the Ranji Trophy triumph in 2023-24. At the same time, the senior batsman went unsold in the first round of auction and KKR bought him almost as an afterthought. Rahane had a fabulous Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) this term, opening the innings for Mumbai and scoring 469 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 164.56. But the degree of difficulty would be higher in the IPL.
Catching drills 101
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In KKR’s first intra-squad game, Rahane batted at No. 3 for Team Purple but fell cheaply, getting out caught-and-bowled to Rovman Powell. De Kock scored a breezy half-century, opening the innings, while Iyer was the showstopper for Team Gold, making a 29-ball 69. In all likelihood, KKR’s most expensive buy this season will bat at No. 4.
Rahane remains flexible about his batting position. “I have always played where team wanted me to play,” he told reporters at KKR’s inaugural press conference last week. “And throughout my career, that’s been my thinking. Always the team comes first. Still, for the first game, we have eight-nine days to go. So, we will just talk about it. We will have a discussion with the coach (Chandrakant Pandit) and mentor (Dwayne Bravo) as well. But wherever the team wants, that is my position as a batter. I will always bat on that particular number.”
No. 3 or nothing?
There’s a school of thought that Rahane is best utilised as a batter in the Powerplay. Beyond that, if the openers carry on, then Iyer might come in at one-drop, as he has the ability to force the pace when the field is spread out. The skipper might have to wait for his turn in that case. KKR’s heavy artillery will swing into action in the middle overs and at the death, throwing open the possibility of Rahane not getting a chance to bat.
Rahane is a veteran of 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is. He knows the reality. He has been a firm believer of letting his bat do the talking. So, when he was asked about trying to prove a point, the KKR captain played it down. “I have said this many times that my goal is to be in the moment, try and give my best each and every day,” he said. “And give more than 100 per cent. I never think about my past or the future. I am focusing on my fitness.”
In Rahane, KKR have a proven leader. Replicating his SMAT form in the IPL would be a double whammy.
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