Not easy winning a title and then defending it: Ajinkya Rahane on KKR’s IPL exit

India Today

IPL 2025: Ajinkya Rahane said that the Knight Riders struggled in the batting department, although their bowlers did reasonably well throughout. On Sunday, the Knights lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 110 runs in New Delhi.

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00:00See, this season, I think for us, kind of an up and down.

00:05We had our moments, you know, couple of games as you mentioned.

00:08We had our chances.

00:10And I said that earlier also during those matches,

00:13as a unit, we didn't play well, really well.

00:16But again, this format, that's how it goes, you know.

00:19If you win close matches, those are the difference.

00:22And the Kings XI Punjab game, LHG game and also the CSK game,

00:27I thought those two, three games could have been slightly different.

00:31But I thought as a captain, what I saw, what I felt,

00:34the preparation-wise, you know, everyone tried their best, really best.

00:38It's not easy when you win a championship

00:40and, you know, come into the next season defending the championship.

00:43It's not that easy.

00:44All the teams, their preparation has been really good.

00:46All the teams are really great.

00:49As a team, we tried our best.

00:51What I can say is we'll come back really stronger next year.

00:54See, it was kind of a mixed thing for our ballers.

00:58You know, if you see Harshit, Harshit has been doing really well.

01:01He has done well for the team franchisee.

01:03Went to the Indian team, did well there as well.

01:05Sometimes it's really challenging for a player

01:09who's playing at the highest level, high-intensity games

01:11and coming after immediately and coming here to do well.

01:15It's not an excuse.

01:16But again, as a player, that was a challenge for us.

01:18Varun again did well in the Champions Trophy, you know,

01:21high-intensity tournament.

01:23Sometimes that takes a toll on your body and mind as well.

01:27Ballers, I thought we did really well.

01:29The wickets were really good for the batters.

01:32That's why you mentioned about 200-plus scores on those wickets.

01:35But I thought, balling throughout the season,

01:37as a balling unit, we did really well.

01:40Where we faltered slightly short was the batting end.

01:44As a batting unit, collectively, we couldn't do well.

01:48I thought ballers supported, did well throughout the season.

01:52One or two odd games or, you know, in this format,

01:55some ballers will go for runs, but that's fine.

01:57I mean, as long as, you know, the thinking was clear from them,

02:01that was really important.

02:03And I thought Harshit, Vaibhau, Varun, Sunny,

02:07all the ballers who have played, their thinking was really clear.

02:10So, as a balling unit, I thought we did decently well in our batting.

02:17See, sometimes what happens is, you know,

02:19when you have a couple of good seasons,

02:21as an individual, you put, you know, a lot of expectation on yourself.

02:25You put pressure on yourself.

02:27And I feel that was the case for most of the batters

02:31to prove, you know, that how good I am.

02:33And it is completely natural.

02:35You know, as a human being, when you are doing well

02:37and you had a couple of good seasons,

02:39it's very normal to have those expectations from yourself

02:42and also from the people.

02:44I'm sure our players, our boys will learn from the mistakes.

02:47It's lots to learn from this season as a team,

02:50not for any particular individual, but for everyone.

02:53So many learnings from this season.

02:55But, you know, it can happen to any player, you know.

02:58Unfortunately, two, three players were going through that phase for us.

03:02And that was the reason we couldn't do well in our batting unit.

03:06But again, they are pretty much experienced enough to handle this situation.

03:10And I'm sure they will come back stronger next year.

03:13That's why I said, you know, when you have those expectations on yourself,

03:16you unknowingly put pressure whenever you go on to bat or when you are bowling.

03:21So, I'm sure Rinku, Raman, all the players, they will learn from the mistakes and come back stronger.

03:26See, we had those discussions, you know.

03:29For me, it's always about the team.

03:31I can easily tell the management staff that I want to open.

03:35But you have to see the combination.

03:37Which batsman can bat where.

03:39And I thought me and Ankrish could, I mean, we can actually easily adapt to three and four situations.

03:44Or, you know, he batted at five sometimes.

03:46But, you know, Sunny had a very good season last year.

03:49We don't want to change that, you know.

03:51Coming from the championship, we don't want to change too many things.

03:54Plus, Quinton was, you know, he's basically an opener.

03:58He cannot bat at the different number, three or four.

04:00So, we thought Ankrish and I, if I can, you know, bat those numbers.

04:043 and 4.

04:06That will be good for us.

04:07We are just talking because those things didn't go our way.

04:11That was the difference.

04:12So, I feel number 3 was ideal for me.

04:15If you ask me, I would love to open.

04:17You know, I did really well in Mushta Kali.

04:19I did well when opening the team, opening the batting.

04:23But, it's always about the team.

04:25What team needs and what team wants from you.

04:27And what are the combinations you are looking at.

04:29See, what I can say is, you know.

04:31If a player gets 20 plus crore.

04:35Or if a player gets 1 or 2 crore.

04:38Or 3 or 4 crore.

04:39Your attitude doesn't change on the field.

04:41You know, that's what matters.

04:42As a player, you only focus on the controllable things.

04:45And I felt Venkatesa here was actually focusing on the controllable things.

04:49He was, you know, practicing hard.

04:52You know, trying his best.

04:54Even during the games, whichever matches he played before getting injured.

04:57I thought he did really well.

04:59It's just that, for us as a team, 3-4 guys were out of form.

05:03You know, that was the only reason I thought, you know, we struggled this year.

05:07But, your attitude doesn't change.

05:10You know, someone's not going to work doubly harder if he's getting 20 plus crore.

05:16Or someone's not going to work less harder when he's getting 1, 2, 3 crore.

05:21Whatever it is.

05:22For us cricketers, it's always about, you know, following what is, you know, the things which we have in our hands.

05:28And the attitude.

05:29I thought his attitude was fantastic.

05:31He was always looking to contribute for the team on and off the field.

05:34And, you know, one off season, that can happen to any player.

05:37So, it's not about the price tag.

05:38I don't think he was thinking about his price tag all.

05:41But, just one of those seasons that we had to go through.

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