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Kolkata Knight Riders are struggling in IPL 2026, placing captain Ajinkya Rahane under scrutiny. A viral Reddit post addresses the criticism against him.
‘Ajinkya Rahane deserves all the hate’: Viral post sparks debate, Kolkata fan lists out KKR captain's ‘crimes’ (ANI Photo)(ANI Pic Service)With the Kolkata Knight Riders sitting at Number 8 on the IPL 2026 table, the online discourse around captain Ajinkya Rahane has reached a fever pitch. Into this heated debate comes a Reddit post that has quickly gone viral, not because it attacks Rahane, but because it brilliantly mocks everyone who does.
It is posted under the title "Ajinkya Rahane deserves all the hate and the reasons are shocking". The author lists a series of "crimes" that Rahane has allegedly committed, each one more absurd than the last.
The post on the Kolkata Knight Riders accuses Rahane of scoring 390 runs at a 150 strike rate in IPL 2025 and becoming KKR's highest run-scorer. The OP calls it a "selfish act".
The Reddit post blames him for Harshit Rana's knee injury, Pathirana's absence, and, somehow, the loss of Mustafizur Rahman. It even accuses him of being responsible for Varun Chakravarthy's loss of form. The post deadpans, "...because he was sitting in the Cricbuzz studio."
Then comes the clincher: "At this point, I won't be surprised if he's also responsible for global warming."
The satire was pointed, and the comment section responded with force, largely in agreement. Most commenters picked up the joke immediately and piled on with their own absurd additions.
Several called it the most accurate summary of KKR fan outrage they had seen. Others tagged friends who had been genuinely criticising Rahane.
“Quality read!! Well done, OP,” wrote one of them.
“OP, what a quality post! All these fake KKR fans are crying in the comment section!” wrote another Reddit user.
Another user commented, “Woah a bunch of wimps hating on the only performing guy of the team! Blame the captain, I agree but take into account the performance of other individuals who failed to live up to the mark.”
Counter argument
But, not everyone was amused. A section of commenters pushed back. They pointed to his decision to bat first against the Punjab Kings despite rain in the forecast on 6 April. It was a call that drew immediate criticism from Anil Kumble, Saba Karim, R Ashwin and many other cricket experts.
Kumble said he was "surprised" by the decision. Karim said he could not "wrap his head around it". Ashwin called the thought process "interesting", but he didn’t use it as a compliment.
“Anyone questioning Rahane's place as a player in the team is dumb… but, we need to accept that he is a terrible captain,” wrote one of them.
“Rahane isn't a good fit right now with the squad we have. Our squad needs a lower-middle-order batsman. If Rahane sits out and Narine opens with Allen, it'll give us the opportunity to use Tejasvi at the end,” came from another.
KKR in IPL 20256 so far
KKR's bowling attack has been devastated by injuries. Harshit Rana is out for the season with a knee injury. Akash Deep has a lumbar stress injury. Matheesha Pathirana is recovering from a calf strain.
Into this crisis, Rahane is leading a thin and unsettled side. And, the pressure is showing. Many believe that the rain saved Kolkata last night. Otherwise, it would have been its third consecutive loss in IPL 2026.
Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy is under the radar. But, that’s because KKR haven’t managed to win any game yet. Is the leadership solely responsible for that? You don’t need to be a cricket expert to answer that.
About the Author
Sounak Mukhopadhyay
Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. <br><br> Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline. <br><br> Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India. <br><br> At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility. <br><br> Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity. <br><br> Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.

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