Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane has taken a shot at his naysayers, saying he is not here to prove anything. Rahane scored a decent knock of 67 off 40 balls in the team’s opening game of IPL 2026 against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Sunday. Thus, he played a key role in helping KKR post 220 runs on the board.

Rahane completed his 34th IPL fifty off 27 balls but could only manage 16 runs off the next 13 deliveries. The flamboyant batter could only hit a solitary six from over 6 to 14 after the fielding restrictions were lifted. While Rahane was brilliant against the pacers in the Powerplay overs, he struggled to bat in the same gear after the first six overs.

However, Rahane said he has considerably improved his white-ball batting, and he is happy with the way he is performing.

“Let people talk about me — they’ve been talking about me for, what, 20 years now. Let them talk. I’m really happy with the way I’m batting at the moment. I’m not here to show anyone how talented I am or what my game is. People are watching — let them watch, let them talk,” Rahane said in the post-match press conference.

“But I’m really happy with how I’ve improved my game in white-ball cricket, especially in the T20 format, over the last two or three years. It’s important to grow as a cricketer and as a batsman, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do. So, let them talk.”

Meanwhile, Rahane walked off the field during MI’s chase after experiencing cramps, and thus Rinku Singh led in his place.

KKR will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday.