KKR vs SRH IPL 2026: Ajinkya Rahane scored a significant achievement in his illustrious T20 career as he captained Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Eden Gardens on Thursday. The match holds special importance for the veteran batter as he scored his 200th match in the Indian Premier League, putting him in an elite group of players in IPL history.
Rahane became only the 11th player to achieve the feat, reflecting his longevity and consistency in one of the most competitive T20 leagues in the world. Rahane debuted in the first edition of IPL 2008 for Mumbai Indians. His IPL journey has seen many phases as he has played for many teams in his illustrious career so far.
Over the years, Rahane has played for six teams in IPL history. After his early days with Mumbai Indians, Rahane created his name as a top performer for Rajasthan Royals between 2011 and 2015, and then again in 2018 and 2019. He then played for Pune Super Giants in IPL 2016 and IPL 2017 before switching to Delhi Capitals for IPL 2020 and IPL 2021. He then played for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2023 and IPL 2024 before returning to Kolkata Knight Riders.
Since his return to Kolkata, Rahane has taken on the responsibility of captaincy and continues to play a vital role for his team at the top of the order. This has been reflected in his performance in KKR’s opening match of IPL 2026. Rahane scored a fluent 67 off 40 balls in the match. His innings were filled with boundaries and aggressive strokes, helping his team achieve a formidable total of 220 runs against Mumbai Indians. Despite his excellent performance, his team lost as the opposition chased the runs.
Rahane’s IPL statistics prove his contribution to the tournament. In 199 matches before this match, Rahane had scored 5,099 runs in 184 innings. His innings included two centuries and 34 half-centuries. His ability to hold his end while scoring runs at a constant rate has proved Rahane to be a valuable asset for teams.
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Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
