Ajinkya Rahane Reflects on KKR's Narrow Loss to LSG in IPL 2026

Rahane's Thoughts on the Defeat

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India] - April 10: After a close three-wicket loss to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane shared his disappointment but praised Mukul Choudhary for his outstanding performance during the IPL 2026 match at Eden Gardens.

Rahane stated, “It’s a tough loss to digest. I’m really proud of how the team performed. Mukul’s innings was crucial. His shot selection was impressive... In matches like these, it’s not beneficial to focus on too many details. Minor execution errors can occur, but we must give credit to Mukul and that partnership,” during the post-match interview.

The KKR skipper noted that the LSG batsmen took full advantage of their opportunities, particularly in the closing overs of the game.

“Those deliveries were effective. They had nothing to lose and were swinging at every ball. The shots played were exceptional. His batting was remarkable,” he remarked.

Despite the defeat, Rahane expressed confidence in his bowling team, saying, “I believe our bowlers performed well. After a loss, you reflect on what could have been improved. Scoring 180-185 was a solid total on this pitch.”

Discussing the strategy for the final over, Rahane explained, “We aimed to keep him on strike, but we needed to have five players inside the circle. It’s challenging for bowlers to deliver in the last over with five in.”

In a thrilling finish, Lucknow Super Giants managed to surpass Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets, successfully chasing down 182 runs in the last ball of the match.

Key contributions came from Ayush Badoni (54) and Mukul Choudhary (54*), with Choudhary’s explosive finish sealing the victory for LSG.

Earlier, KKR set a target of 181/4, thanks to efforts from Ajinkya Rahane (41), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (45), along with a late surge from Rovman Powell and Cameron Green.