“You don’t want Rinku Singh the batter to suffer” - Wasim Jaffer’s interesting pick for KKR captaincy after IPL 2026 debacle

Published - 25 May 2026, 12:55 IST | Updated - 25 May 2026, 13:14 IST

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) endured another tough season, as they finished seventh on the points table despite a late resurgence. Under Ajinkya Rahane's leadership, KKR has finished eighth and seventh in the last two seasons. However, former India opener Wasim Jaffer stated that the Knights should continue with the veteran batter at the helm as there is no other option available.

Jaffer did mention Rinku Singh's name, but he added that the diminutive batter doesn't have much experience of captaining sides and giving him the added responsibility could hamper his batting.

"At this stage, retain. I don't see any other contender for captaincy. Rinku has not captained a lot. You don't want Rinku the batter to suffer. I don't think Rahane has captained that badly as well. Tactically, I don't think he has made blunders," he said on his YouTube channel.

Jaffer also backed Axar Patel to continue in his role as the Delhi Capitals' captain despite the franchise finishing fifth and sixth in the last two seasons, respectively. The cricketer-turned-commentator, however, did mention some questionable selection calls from the DC management during IPL 2026.

"He has not done badly as a captain. His batting prospered a little late. Yes, I can talk about the team selection, the number of chances given to Nissanka, etc., but Axar did not do a bad job. Retain," he stated.

The Mumbai Indians (MI) finished ninth, only above the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Jaffer said that he would retain Hardik Pandya as a player but relieve him of captaincy duties.

"I will not make him the captain, but he will surely be retained. I want him to open up and get the best out of him," he said.

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Lastly, Jaffer spoke about Rishabh Pant, the LSG skipper, and said that the Sanjiv Goenka-owned franchise should release him into the auction and rope him in for a cheaper price. Pant is the most expensive player in the league, after having secured a INR 27 crore contract in the mega auction ahead of IPL 2025.

"Retain, but put him in the auction and try buying him back for cheaper. You want him, but at a cheaper price," he stated.