former indian batsman Akash Chopra believe Ajinkya Lahani He has an important point to prove heading into IPL 2026, especially in addressing long-standing doubts about his game outside of the powerplay.Rahane In IPL 2025, he led Kolkata Knight Riders with the bat and emerged as their top run-scorer. He scored 390 runs in 12 innings with a strike rate of 147.72. Despite these numbers, there are still doubts over whether he can maintain his scoring momentum once field restrictions are lifted, especially in terms of spin, which many feel slowed down KKR in the crucial stages.
Chopra admitted on his YouTube channel that he was one of those who questioned Rahane’s efficiency after the powerplay. However, he also believes that the upcoming season is an opportunity for the KKR skipper to quell these criticisms.“There are a lot of opportunities. Maybe Ajinkya Rahane because I am one of those people who is a bit critical of him having to play in the powerplay because after that his role becomes extremely limited, but you can prove me wrong,” Chopra said.“It’s an opportunity. Not that you need to prove me wrong. Why should you bother? But if you score a lot on the power play and after that, it’s a good opportunity for you,” he added.Chopra further pointed to the narrative surrounding KKR’s reliance on Gautam GambhirSome believe the team would have struggled to succeed without his influence as a player or mentor. He believes Rahane now has the platform to counter that perception by leading the team to the title.In the same discussion, Chopra highlighted Rinku Singh’s growing importance in the organization. Rinku currently serves as vice-captain, and if he performs consistently this season, he could become a contender for the leadership spot.“Rinku Singh is the vice-captain. Could be the potential captain next season. So he could play a huge role. He is always forced to move down the order. This time he may get a chance to move up the order a little bit and he may flourish,” Chopra said.Chopra also turned his attention to Varun Chakaravarthy, saying that IPL 2026 provides him with an opportunity to rediscover his wicket-taking rhythm.“It’s time for Varun Chakravarty to have his strengths recognized again because the last four games of the World Cup have been very indifferent. He has to get back to taking wickets,” he said.Varun became the joint-highest wicket-taker in the 2026 T20 World Cup with 14 wickets in 9 innings at an economy rate of 9.25. While he started off strongly with nine wickets in India’s first four games, his influence declined later on, taking just five scalps in the remainder of the game while conceding runs at a higher rate.
