Ajinkya Rahane’s IPL 2026 campaign has taken another hit after he was sanctioned for a breach of the league’s Code of Conduct, adding to Kolkata Knight Riders’ early-season troubles. With KKR still without a win after their opening five matches, the captain has now been found guilty following Tuesday’s fixture against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, where he received a fine for a slow over-rate.
Key takeaways
- Rahane was penalised for violating the IPL Code of Conduct related to minimum over-rate requirements in the KKR vs CSK match.
- KKR were charged with their first over-rate offence of the season, leading to a fine of INR 12 lakh for Rahane under Article 2.22.
- Rahane became the fourth captain in IPL 2026 to face a slow over-rate charge.
- Shreyas Iyer also received slow over-rate fines twice—INR 12 lakh for one breach and INR 24 lakh for a second—after offences involving Punjab Kings.
- Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad were both fined INR 12 lakh as first-time offenders this season.
- KKR have now stretched their run to six consecutive IPL defeats, with their last two completed losses coming against SRH and CSK last season.
Rahane fined for slow over-rate vs CSK
Kolkata Knight Riders’ captain was booked after the match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, with the governing body imposing a fine for keeping a slow over-rate during the contest against Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday.
The sanction came as KKR’s opening offence of the campaign under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which specifically deals with minimum over-rate standards. Because it was their first breach for the season, Rahane was fined INR 12 lakh.
Fourth slow over-rate case for a captain this season
Rahane’s charge marked the fourth time a captain has been penalised for slow over-rate in IPL 2026. Shreyas Iyer was the first such captain to be charged, with Punjab Kings breaching the rule on two separate occasions.
Iyer’s Punjab Kings were found guilty first against Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh on March 31, and again against Chennai Super Kings on April 2. For the initial offence, he received a fine of INR 12 lakh, and for the second breach, the penalty increased to INR 24 lakh.
Next came Shubman Gill, after Gujarat Titans recorded an over-rate offence against Delhi Capitals on April 8. Gill was fined INR 12 lakh as it was his team’s first offence in that category.
Ruturaj Gaikwad followed during CSK’s game against Delhi last week, also receiving a fine of INR 12 lakh because it was a first-time offence.
KKR hit another low with winless start
KKR’s season has continued to spiral despite the formal sanctions on individuals. The 2024 champions have suffered a new low in IPL 2026, failing to register a single win in their first five matches.
They began with a loss to Mumbai Indians in their opening encounter, then were beaten by 65 runs by Sunrisers Hyderabad at home. Kolkata eventually opened their account with a shared point in a rain-affected match against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens.
However, they were unable to build momentum, losing again to Lucknow Super Giants and then to Chennai Super Kings. Those defeats left them rooted at the bottom of the points table.
Six straight losses and a timeline of KKR’s streak
Kolkata have now lost six consecutive IPL matches. The sequence includes defeats to SRH and CSK in the closing two completed games from last season.
That losing run is tied for KKR’s second-longest skid in the tournament’s history, matching the pattern they endured in 2019. Their worst-ever stretch remains a nine-match losing streak during IPL 2009.
