Former CSK batter Subramaniam Badrinath has challenged Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane’s claim of being the weak link in the team. Ahead of IPL 2025, KKR parted ways with their title-winning skipper Shreyas Iyer and brought in Rahane at his base price during the mega auction, appointing him as captain. The move failed to deliver as expected, with the team struggling throughout the season and missing out on a playoff spot, leaving questions over leadership and team balance ahead of the next campaign.
He scored 390 runs in 13 matches last season at a strike rate of 147.73. His batting position came under scrutiny, with many suggesting that his presence in the top order disrupted KKR’s fearless approach that had helped them win the IPL 2025 title.
Badrinath did not hold back in his assessment of three-time champions KKR, calling out Rahane’s captaincy and the team’s high-profile signings as major concerns ahead of the new season.
“Ajinkya Rahane is definitely a weakness. His captaincy itself is a weak link. All their big investments have gone wrong. They trusted Harshit Rana and invested in him, but he is ruled out. Pathirana was a huge signing, and now he’s doubtful. Mustafizur was another big investment, and he is ruled out. They’ve taken many costly decisions as there is uncertainty over most of their big investments,” Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.
“Cameron Green went for so much purely because of the hype”
It will be intriguing to see where Rahane is slotted this season, given KKR’s new additions. Tim Seifert was New Zealand’s top scorer with 326 runs at a strike rate exceeding 165, while Finn Allen contributed 298 runs at a strike rate of 200, including the fastest T20 World Cup century against South Africa at Eden Gardens.
{{/usCountry}}It will be intriguing to see where Rahane is slotted this season, given KKR’s new additions. Tim Seifert was New Zealand’s top scorer with 326 runs at a strike rate exceeding 165, while Finn Allen contributed 298 runs at a strike rate of 200, including the fastest T20 World Cup century against South Africa at Eden Gardens.
{{/usCountry}}Following his earlier remarks, Badrinath criticised KKR’s expensive signing of Cameron Green, questioning the justification for the hefty price tag and highlighting the player’s recent struggles, including a disappointing T20 World Cup performance for Australia.
“You’ve signed him for 25 crores, and he is woefully out of form. He struggled massively for Australia in the T20 World Cup. Cameron Green went for so much purely because of the hype. He is not worth that much. Has he singlehandedly done anything in the IPL? Australian players always get hyped up, and he benefited from that. I believe it was a bad move by KKR,” remarked Badrinath.