The Indian Premier League 2026 season has delivered a shocking and unexpected record, this time involving Ajinkya Rahane. Known for his calm and classical batting style, Rahane has now entered the record books, but for a reason no batter would want.
The Record: 12 Ducks as an Opener
During a match against Rajasthan Royals on April 19, 2026, the Kolkata Knight Riders captain was dismissed for a two-ball duck. With this, Rahane registered his 12th duck as an opener in IPL history, surpassing the previous record held by Parthiv Patel, who had 11 ducks.
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Most Ducks as an Opener in IPL History:
- Ajinkya Rahane – 12
- Parthiv Patel – 11
- Shikhar Dhawan – 10
- Gautam Gambhir – 10
- David Warner – 9
This makes Rahane the player with the most ducks as an opener in 19 years of IPL history, a truly unprecedented and unwanted milestone.
Back-to-Back Failures Raise Concerns
What makes this record even more concerning is that it came right after another poor outing. Rahane had already registered a golden duck against the Gujarat Titans, making this his second consecutive duck of the season. Such back-to-back failures have raised serious questions about his current form and approach at the top of the order.
Historic Low for KKR
The match also marked a rare and embarrassing moment for the Kolkata Knight Riders. For the first time since 2014, both openers were dismissed for ducks in the same match, with Rahane and Tim Seifert failing to score. This highlighted a major top-order collapse and added pressure on the middle order.
Captaincy Under Pressure
As captain, Rahane is also facing scrutiny beyond his batting. His win percentage stands at around 32% (minimum 25 matches), placing him among the captains with the lowest success rates in IPL history. Adding to the pressure, he was also fined ₹12 lakh earlier this season for a slow over-rate during a match against Chennai Super Kings.
