IPL 2025: Ajinkya Rahane Criticizes KKR’s Batting After Crushing Defeat to Mumbai Indians

### Quick Summary
– Mumbai Indians defeated defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium during IPL 2025.
– Debutant Ashwani Kumar shone with a four-wicket haul,dismissing key KKR players Manish Pandey,Ajinkya Rahane,Rinku Singh,and Andre Russell.- KKR’s Angkrish Raghuvanshi was the highest scorer for his team with 26 runs.
– Ajinkya Rahane criticized KKR’s batting performance, highlighting collective failure on what he described as a good batting wicket.
– He stated that scoring 180-190 would have been ideal for the pitch and emphasized adaptability to conditions.
– Mumbai indians secured their first win of the season but faced concerns over Rohit Sharma’s inconsistent form:
– He has struggled in three consecutive games and batted as an impact player due to not fielding in this match.

### Indian opinion analysis
Mumbai Indians’ emphatic win against Kolkata Knight Riders marks a turning point in their IPL campaign after earlier setbacks. Ashwani Kumar’s debut could be promising for MI’s bowling lineup moving forward, showing how fresh talent can substantially impact high-pressure matches. For KKR, Ajinkya Rahane’s pointed criticism underscores an urgent need to stabilize their batting lineup if they intend to defend their championship title effectively.

The persistent struggles faced by Rohit Sharma raise critical questions about MI’s long-term planning around senior players nearing retirement age. While balancing youth and experience remains vital for teams like MI, maintaining consistency across matches will be essential to sustain momentum throughout the season.Read more: [Republic World](https://www.republicworld.com/sports/cricket/ipl-2025-ajinkya-rahane-tears-apart-kkr-teammates-after-humiliating-loss-to-mumbai-indians-collective-batting-failure)