Former India opener Virender Sehwag What has weighed on the increased scrutiny around Ajinkya RahaneHe suggested that players should respond to criticism with calmness rather than emotion.Rahane Recently he found himself in the spotlight after reacting strongly to questions about his strike rate after Kolkata Knight Riders’ clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Defending his approach, the KKR skipper pointed to his numbers in recent seasons and hit back at critics.“My strike rate… I have the best strike rate ever since 2023. People who are talking are probably not watching the game or have a specific agenda against me, they don’t like my playing,” Rahane had said.The KKR skipper had earlier made headlines for his strong reaction in this regard. Cameron GreeneAbsence with the ball after their opening defeat against Mumbai Indians, turning the question to Cricket Australia.Reacting to these comments, Sehwag felt that Rahane was engaging in avoidable exchanges and called for a more balanced approach.“I don’t think the players should say all that. I know he’s the captain and he was asked why Cameron Green is not bowling. He didn’t have a straight answer, so he asked Cricket Australia to ask,” Sehwag said while talking to Cricket Australia.“I can understand that. But if someone is questioning my strike rate or batting style, people will praise you and criticize you, but you have to be neutral with both. Why engage in such fights?” Sehwag asked.Aligning with some of the biggest names in Indian cricket, Sehwag pointed out how legends handle criticism without public backlash.“He seems to respond to critics, but even Bachchan (Amitabh Bachchan) never responded to his critics. There is no greater example than Tendulkar, one newspaper even wrote ‘Andulkar’,” Sehwag added.On the field, Rahane started IPL 2026 with a fluent 67 off 40 balls against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, scoring 167.5. However, he followed it up with just eight off 10 balls in KKR’s first home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad.Criticism has intensified with Kolkata Knight Riders’ difficult start to the season. They lost their opening two matches and were then awarded a point in the third fixture against Punjab Kings due to rain.In this match, KKR were already under pressure at 25/2 in 3.4 overs. Finn Allen And Cameron Green got out cheaply before the weather intervened.The team’s struggles have gone beyond results, with their batting order failing to click and Rahane’s opening decision. Meanwhile, Green’s continued absence with the ball due to injury management has added to the uncertainty surrounding the balance of the side.
