Time for change? Why KKR should sack Rahane and appoint Rinku Singh as captain

The captaincy role at Kolkata Knight Riders has never been an easy job in the IPL. Throughout their storied history, KKR have found major success under just one name – Gautam Gambhir. But even before the Gambhir era, the foundation was shaky. The early years under Sourav Ganguly were defined more by off-field friction than on-field results. The 'Dada' era was marred by a public power struggle with coach John Buchanan and the infamous 'multiple captains' experiment, leaving the franchise in a state of constant turbulence.

It wasn't until 2011, when the team moved on from the local hero to appoint Gambhir, that the revolving door finally stopped. After Gambhir left, the search resumed. Dinesh Karthik, Eoin Morgan, and Shreyas Iyer all came through that door and eventually moved on – though Iyer, now leading PBKS, left the biggest mark by guiding KKR to their third star in 2024.

Since then, however, KKR have struggled to find an effective leader. Ajinkya Rahane's era has been underwhelming. An eighth-place finish last season hasn't been followed by any real improvement this time around, with Kolkata still stuck in the same spot – living on the edge.

Now, every game feels like a final. One more loss, and it could be curtains for them in IPL 2026.

Usually, in such a situation, franchises look towards the future and identify players around whom they can build for the next five years. In that list, Rahane is a name that doesn't quite fit.

At 37 and in the twilight of his career, the Mumbai batter's powers seem to be fading, suggesting that a change of guard may be needed. KKR already have an ideal batting replacement for Rahane in Angkrish Raghuvanshi. But who takes the armband and runs with it?

ENTER RINKU SINGH

The 28-year-old has been with KKR since 2018 and has made himself synonymous with the franchise over the last few years. He was handed the vice-captaincy ahead of the season and even donned the skipper's cap during the second half of the match against MI.

Although he looked a bit flustered in that game, the last two matches showed his character and his hunger to win as he kept egging the players along. He played a crucial role in the wins against RR and LSG, and it seems like he has got his mojo back.

He has also captained his state side, Uttar Pradesh, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and that was enough to convince Mohammed Kaif to vouch for him as the next KKR skipper.

"KKR should groom Rinku Singh as a future captain. Rinku Singh is an all-format player. Although he is not part of the Test team, he can bat well in all formats. I come from UP, and I know what he does for UP. A lot of batters score runs, but his runs come in a winning cause. So, that guy is ready and captains UP," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

"He has the mental strength to handle captaincy and batting together. They have a ready guy."

At this point, KKR desperately need a new direction, and Rinku might just be the man to lead them there.

TEAM COMBINATION

One of KKR's biggest issues this season has been accommodating Ajinkya Rahane at the top of the order.

Initially, it seemed to work, but Rahane's strike rate started to dip, and that directly affected Kolkata's powerplay scores.

The loss against CSK came from a situation where Rahane failed to accelerate outside the powerplay despite spending enough time in the middle.

The same trend continued against GT, RR and LSG for the KKR skipper, leaving pressure on the rest of the batting unit to undo the damage.

KKR can completely revamp the look of their top order if Rahane makes way, allowing one of Tim Seifert or Finn Allen to possibly open alongside Angkrish Raghuvanshi or even Cameron Green.

The Aussie all-rounder is slowly making himself at home, and this could be the perfect chance for KKR to maximise his potential. But that can't happen without Rahane stepping aside.

If Rinku does become captain, it could allow KKR to be more dynamic with their batting order and maybe even more adventurous with their approach.

ALLOWING YOUTH TO COME IN

There was one image that went viral on social media – young Tejasvi Singh watching on as Manish Pandey was getting ready to walk in as the impact sub against LSG.

It said everything.

Thankfully for KKR, Pandey wasn't needed, and they were saved by the heroics of Rinku. But this has been one of the biggest criticisms of the current KKR think tank – they simply do not trust the youngsters enough.

Tejasvi was bought for Rs. 3 crore and is a powerful lower-order hitter, known for his exploits in the Delhi Premier League. Another DPL star, Sarthak Ranjan, is also warming the bench – a power-hitter who could easily have a role to play in the middle order.

Tejasvi smashed 29 sixes in the 2025 edition of the DPL, while Ranjan scored 449 runs in nine matches with one hundred and four fifties to his name.

This is exactly the kind of talent other teams are taking punts on, while KKR seem to be falling behind.

They need to fix that quickly, and using Rinku as captain could be the first step.

THINKING LONG-TERM

Even though KKR would want to hope against hope and believe they can still win all their remaining matches, the playoff race is brutally tight.

One loss can spell disaster.

And if that happens, then Kolkata should stop looking at quick fixes and start building the team around Rinku - someone who can remain with the franchise as captain for another five to six years.

He would get time to settle into the role before next season and start shaping the team with his own ideas and identity.

And sometimes, unconventional choices work best.

RCB struck gold with Rajat Patidar, who allows the rest of the team to play according to their strengths. Kolkata could find that same success with Rinku, because he knows this franchise inside and out.

KKR now need to think long-term, and Rinku fits that plan far more than Rahane.

Breakups can be painful.

But sometimes, they are necessary.

And for KKR, this feels like one of those moments.

IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score