Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 3 (ANI): Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Ajinkya Rahane, following his team's second loss in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, defended his performance by emphasising that his strike rate has been among the best since 2023.

Rahane suggested that the negativity toward him may stem from bias or even jealousy over his success.

A clinical performance from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), which included quickfire knocks from Heinrich Klaasen and Abhishek Sharma and fine bowling performances from Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga and Nitish Kumar Reddy, helped them achieve their first win of the 2026 IPL, beating KKR by 65 runs at Kolkata on Thursday.

Playing his 200th IPL game against the SRH on Thursday, Rahane failed to make a mark, scoring just eight runs from 10 balls at a strike rate of 80 for his side in a tough run-chase. Since IPL 2023, only SRH's Abhishek Sharma (176.56) has a better strike rate than Rahane (167.78) in the powerplay among Indians.

'My strike rate... I have the best strike rate so far, from 2023. People who are talking are probably not watching the game or have a certain agenda against me. They don't like me playing. They don't like to watch me play. The amount of success I've got, I guess they're jealous about that,' Rahane told the reporters after the match.

Rahane also said that his intent at the crease was right, even if he didn't always find rhythm, stressing that criticism comes from people who either misunderstand the game or expect a different style from him.

'My intent was there. Sometimes, as a batter, you don't get the rhythm or the flow. People who are talking either don't understand the game, or they want me to play a different kind of innings. They didn't expect that Ajinkya Rahane would improve his game this much. I am happy they are talking about me, negative or positive. Let them talk. But partnering with Finn Allen, it has been very good. In the first six overs, you need to look to play fearless cricket with freedom. At times you will struggle, that's okay, it's important to accept,' he added.

Rahane is the ninth-highest run-getter in the tournament history, with 5,107 runs in 185 innings at an average of 30.58, with a strike rate of 125.32, with two centuries and 34 fifties and a best score of 105*.

KKR, with two defeats in their first two games (only the second time in KKR's history), had such a poor start to a season.

The three-time IPL champions will aim to bounce back quickly with games coming thick and fast at home. Punjab Kings visit them on April 6, and Lucknow Super Giants come on April 9. (ANI)