The fall of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing IPL 2026 has left everyone shocked and confused as things are only getting worse with every match. KKR are struggling this season but it was their lack of trust in Rinku Singh that surprised Manoj Tiwary.

Rinku Singh, who was once relied upon by Kolkata Knight Riders to finish games under pressure, is now completely out of touch under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy.

Rinku Singh’s struggles continue in IPL 2026

Rinku Singh faced just two balls for a run before losing his wicket to Kagiso Rabada during KKR’s five-wicket loss to the Gujarat Titans. So far this season, Rinku has played five innings but has only managed 79 runs, the best being 33*.

The confidence that the Indian batsman showed in the last few IPL seasons is not there. However, it was not Rinku’s form but the team management’s decision to send him to bat at number seven against GT in Ahmedabad that surprised many.

Even Anukul Roy was promoted before him, giving a clear signal that the team is not fully backing Rinku at the moment. This move only increased the pressure on him and backfired on the team as they could only score 180 on the board despite Cameron Green’s impressive 79.

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Manoj Tiwary slams KKR for mishandling Rinku Singh

After the match, Manoj Tiwary criticized Ajinkya Rahane and the KKR team management for not trusting Rinku and breaking the batsman’s confidence. The former Indian batsman bluntly said that Kolkata’s campaign will not get back on track if they continue making such mistakes in the ongoing IPL 2026.

Cricbuzz quoted Tiwary as saying, “You changed the entire batting order. You sent Anukul Roy higher. You have just sent Rinku Singh an indirect signal that you don’t have any faith in him. Whoever is thinking in their right mind would send Rinku higher as he has been your asset for so long.”

The cricket expert further added, “Just look at Rinku when he came back after coming out. He was completely heartbroken. He knew, deep down, that it shouldn’t have happened to him. When you had to build his confidence, you did exactly the opposite by sending Rinku down the order. If KKR continues to play like this, they will remain at the bottom.”

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Something is not right in the KKR camp: Manoj Tiwary

Meanwhile, the three-time IPL champions are yet to win a single match in the ongoing IPL 2026 and sit at the bottom of the points table with just one point from six games. This is their worst start in IPL history and things are not looking good at all.

The former Indian batsman felt that something was not right within the KKR camp as results were not coming and the team combination did not seem set despite having a strong team.

Tiwary concluded by saying, “KKR fans have seen three titles. But this year, their main bowlers got injured, but it wasn’t like that; all their strength was taken out of them. The team was still strong. But something is not right, be it the atmosphere or the combination. It was a disappointing performance.”

Now, all eyes are on Kolkata Knight Riders’ upcoming IPL 2026 match against Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 19.