Ajinkya Rahane returns as the captain in IPL 2025. However, he has begun with a loss for Kolkata Knight Riders. His side suffered 7-wicket loss against RCB in the IPL opener. The veteran has always been a key player, with his adaptability often grabbing the spotlight. Now, he is ready to carry KKR’s legacy forward.
Not to forget, the Kolkata franchise are the defending champions, which means Ajinkya Rahane will feel the pressure of leading a title-winning team. However, his vast captaincy experience should make things easier for him.
Before we get into this, did you know it was initially speculated that Venkatesh Iyer, whom KKR bought for INR 23.75 crore, would lead the team? However, the franchise instead handed the captaincy to Rahane, who was acquired for INR 1.5 crore. Now, all eyes will be on him.
But what does Rahane’s IPL captaincy record say? Has he ever led an IPL team before? Let’s take a look.
Ajinkya Rahane IPL captaincy record
| Ajinkya Rahane’s IPL Captaincy Record | Stats |
|---|---|
| Teams Captained | Rajasthan Royals, Rising Pune Supergiant, Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Total Matches as Captain | 26 |
| Matches Won | 9 |
| Matches Lost | 17 |
| Playoff Appearance | IPL 2018 (Did not reach final) |
For Rahane, his IPL captaincy journey began in 2017 when Rising Pune Supergiant appointed him as captain but just for one match in Steve Smith’s absence due to food poisoning.
However, things truly started in 2018 when Rajasthan Royals, returning from a two-season ban (2016 and 2017), made a comeback. Rahane led RR in 24 matches across the 2018 and 2019 seasons but was replaced mid-season in 2019 by Steve Smith due to the team’s poor performance.
His IPL captaincy record doesn’t have much to boast about, with only nine wins as a leader. However, his captaincy for India in Test cricket is a different story. He stepped in for Virat Kohli multiple times, with his most impressive outing being the historic Test series victory in Australia in 2020-21.
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