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Ajinkya Rahane could lose the Kolkata Knight Riders captaincy from next season, with the franchise looking for a new leader, sources told CricBlogger. KKR’s interest in acquiring all-rounder Hardik Pandya is a strong indication that the franchise is planning to replace Rahane with another captaincy candidate.
The Kolkata franchise last won the IPL title under the guidance of Shreyas Iyer in 2024 but has seen a significant decline over the past two seasons. In 2026, KKR attempted a late comeback with a string of impressive performances towards the end of the campaign, but it was not enough to make a meaningful impact.
“There are enough reasons to look beyond Rahane,” a source said. “The captaincy options are so limited at KKR that the promoters often end up using Shah Rukh Khan’s cut-out for promotional activities.”
When CricBlogger reached out to the KKR management for a response, none of the officials were available for comment.
In 2024, KKR had Shreyas as their captain but decided to let him enter the auction, hoping to buy him back. The strategy backfired, as the franchise failed to re-sign him. With Shreyas now leading India’s T20 side, KKR’s decision has raised questions about the management’s long-term planning when it comes to identifying and retaining captaincy candidates.
During his stint as captain, KKR operated under a system in which the coaching staff wielded greater influence than the skipper. Shreyas was often heard saying that he would only get clarity on the playing XI and team combination shortly before the match. Much of the decision-making, according to those familiar with the setup, was managed from outside the dressing room rather than being left to the captain.
Rahane, despite being a highly respected leader with an outstanding domestic record, has been unable to guide KKR to the playoffs. On a personal level, however, he continued to deliver with the bat, finishing as the franchise’s highest run-scorer in 2026 with 390 runs in 13 matches. In the previous season, he had scored 335 runs in 14 innings.
While Rahane’s individual performances have been commendable, KKR’s failure to translate them into consistent team success appears to have prompted the franchise to reassess its leadership plans ahead of the next IPL season.y
