Ajinkya Rahane faced a tough time in IPL 2026, scoring a two-ball duck and setting a record for the most ducks as an opener in the tournament’s history during Kolkata Knight Riders’ match against Rajasthan Royals. Rahane’s dismissal occurred early in KKR’s chase of 156, falling to Nandre Burger in just the second over, leaving KKR struggling at two wickets down within the first eight balls.
This marked Rahane’s second consecutive duck this season and his 12th as an opener in IPL history, surpassing Parthiv Patel to lead this unwanted list. Despite showing occasional fluency, Rahane’s inconsistent form at the top has impacted KKR’s starts. Both KKR openers being dismissed for ducks in this match was a rare event in IPL history, occurring only the 13th time in the tournament’s history.
Rajasthan Royals posted 155/9 after being asked to bat, a total that seemed below par despite a strong start. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 81-run opening partnership set a solid foundation, but KKR’s spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine triggered a middle-order collapse. Despite restricting Rajasthan, KKR’s chase began poorly, emphasizing their struggles this season, as they remain winless in the tournament.
