KKR vs PBKS IPL 2026: Ajinkya Rahane Set To Be Dropped as Kolkata Knight Riders Captain? Rinku Singh to Lead vs Punjab Kings – Predicted Playing XIs

Where To Watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings: After succumbing to consecutive defeats in the ongoing IPL 2026, Kolkata Knight Riders will eye their first win as they are set to face off against Punjab Kings at the iconic Eden Gardens on Monday. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, have earned back-to-back wins as they are occupying the fourth spot in the table.

KKR, who are placed ninth in the table just above CSK, have a golden opportunity to kick off a winning momentum in front of their home crowd.

KKR vs PBKS Predicted XI: Ajinkya Rahane To Lead?

Despite being one of India’s better captains in the current lot, Rahane’s decision in the two games has come under immense scrutiny. Also, he is on point with his ball-striking during the powerplay, however, he fails to get going post powerplay when the field is spread. Notably, the criticism of Rahane is surely getting under his skin as he recently labelled people as ‘jealous’ of him.

“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.

Rinku Singh’s Takeover Inevitable?

The 26-year-old has been KKR’s answer to its finishing woes for a long time. A player batting at that position requires temperament to bat calmly, and Rinku is a proponent of that. Rinku also impressed with his captaincy when Rahane got hurt during the first match and couldn’t come in till the end of the match.

Kolkata Knight Riders Predicted XI

KKR: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Kartik Tyagi, Blessing Muzarabani.

On the other hand, the Punjab Kings are unlikely to tinker with a winning combination unless there is an injury to any player at the last minute.

Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Also Read: PSL 2026 Viral Video: Net Bowler Hit on Face During Lahore Qalandars Practice, Shaheen Afridi Rushes To Help | Watch

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