Ajinkya Rahane sets new record for most IPL opening ducks.

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane etched his name into the record books for all the wrong reasons during a high-stakes clash against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. The veteran batsman fell for a two-ball duck at Eden Gardens, marking his 12th scoreless outing as an opener in the Indian Premier League. This dismissal officially moves him past Parthiv Patel, who previously held the record with 11 ducks in the opening slot.

Facing Nandre Burger in the second over, Rahane edged a wide delivery to leave his side in early trouble. This failure follows a golden duck in his previous appearance against Gujarat Titans, signaling a worrying dip in form for the Mumbai-born cricketer. While Rahane started the 2026 campaign with a brisk 67 against Mumbai Indians, he has since struggled to find consistency, managing four single-digit scores in his last seven outings.

Before this season, names like Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan were frequently associated with this list, both sitting on 10 ducks as openers. Rahane’s transition to the top of this tally reflects the immense pressure on modern captains to provide explosive starts during the powerplay. Historically, KKR has seen its leaders struggle with early dismissals; even former championship-winning captain Gautam Gambhir once suffered through three consecutive ducks in 2014.

​​​​​With Agency threads and Image Courtesy: ANI