After Kolkata Knight Riders edged past the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday, skipper Ajinkya Rahane made it clear where the credit should go. He dedicated the triumph to the team’s supporters and singled out the impact made by Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and Anukul Roy as KKR turned their fortunes around in dramatic fashion. After a run of six matches filled with disappointment, KKR finally found the right rhythm, escaping from the brink to win by four wickets in Kolkata.
RR set the tone with a solid total, getting to 155/9 despite moments when the chase looked out of reach for KKR. Varun Chakravarthy and Kartik delivered the key breakthroughs for KKR, each producing a three-wicket haul—Varun finished with figures of 3/14 and Kartik returned 3/22. Still, RR benefited from a strong partnership higher up the order, as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck 46 off 28 balls, including six fours and two sixes, and Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed 39 off 29 with four boundaries and two maximums. That 81-run stand helped RR reach a defendable score.
Chasing 156, KKR initially struggled to stay in control and slipped to 85/6. The situation changed, though, once the seventh-wicket partnership began to take shape. Rinku Singh, remaining unbeaten on 53 off 34 deliveries with five fours and two sixes, combined with Anukul Roy, who finished 29 not out from 16 balls, including a four and two sixes. Their stand carried KKR over the line with two balls remaining, completing an unlikely turnaround after the early wobble.
Rahane, reflecting on the win, said the emotions were intense and expressed happiness for the performers who shaped the finish. “Feels really good. There were a lot of emotions. I am really happy for Rinku, Anukul Roy and Varun. Really happy with how both of them batted in that partnership. I like to have one-on-one conversations. It is about reading the situations well. This victory will give confidence. Batting-wise, there’s still room for improvement,” he said.
On Kartik’s standout spell, the KKR captain highlighted the young bowler’s growing understanding of his craft. “He is still young, and he has been amazing. Very happy to see him getting that confidence. The pace at which he is bowling is amazing. There is a lot to learn from every game. That is where the cricketing awareness comes,” Rahane added.
Addressing the wider talk around strike rates—particularly directed at him—Rahane pushed back on the narrative and focused on the bigger picture. “Sometimes I feel strike-rate is overrated. Take the game deep, and we saw what happened today. This was a great escape for us. We need to reflect and learn. As a team, we have to come together and have clear communication. The atmosphere in the dressing room has been amazing. The fans have been fantastic; this victory belongs to them. Very positive, you get that positive vibe,” he concluded.
