Watch: “Trust bowlers…”- Ravichandran Ashwin blames Riyan Parag’s captaincy for RR’s defeat during KKR clash in IPL 2026

At 85/6 during the 156-run chase during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Eden Gardens, the latter was well ahead in the contest and seemed to have nearly won the encounter, with Kolkata losing faith in themselves. 

But a simple dropped catch by Nandre Burger off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling, followed by some shocking captaincy, saw the inaugural champions facing their successive defeats, with the three-time champions finally opening their account.

Ravichandran Ashwin exposes Riyan Parag’s leadership vs KKR in IPL 2026

The former Indian spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, has blamed the RR captain, Riyan Parag, for his leadership as he didn’t use Jadeja against the left-handed batters despite the Saurashtra spinner having figures of 2/8 in three overs. 

“You have got a world-class left-arm spinner. Data can have its different say. But in three overs, he gave away around nine runs and picked up two wickets. Rinku Singh, who is a left-handed batter, tried to go aerial against that spinner and got saved due to the dropped catch. But as an off-spinner, you thought of bowling to the southpaws, but Ravindra Jadeja couldn’t.” Ashwin expressed on his YouTube channel.

Watch the video here: 

“Ravi Bishnoi can, but Jadeja can’t. If Jaddu can be hit for two massive sixes, but you didn’t show trust in your bowling line-up in the long term. Because if the left-arm spinner knows that he won’t be needed to bowl against the left-handed batters, he won’t even try. Had Jadeja taken the wicket of Rinku, he could have been the player of the match.” The veteran added.

He also claimed that if Parag could throw the ball to the debutant Brijesh Sharma towards the death overs, then Jadeja should have bowled at the southpaws.

“If one of your better bowlers had bowled in the game, you could have won the game. So, what I am saying is that if you can give Brijesh Sharma, who is playing his first IPL, the 19th over, then you can certainly throw the ball to Jadeja.” The Chennai-born concluded.

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KKR, thanks to Rinku’s unbeaten 53 runs off 34 balls with five boundaries and a couple of sixes, completed the chase by four wickets with two balls to spare.

Fans react to Ashwin’s comment on Parag’s captaincy vs KKR

Here is how the fans have reacted to Ashwin’s words on Parag’s captaincy against KKR in IPL 2026-