Aakash Chopra Picks "Slightly Underrated" Star As KKR Captain For IPL 2027

Former India opener Aakash Chopra recently shared his views on who should lead Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2027 following Ajinkya Rahane's retirement. KKR, who won the IPL title in 2024 under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, were led by Rahane in the 2025 and 2026 seasons but failed to qualify for the playoffs in either campaign. As the three-time champions gear up for the new season, they are searching for a new skipper after Rahane recently announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

According to Chopra, KKR should appoint batter Rinku Singh as their next captain. Notably, Rinku has been associated with the franchise since 2018 and has produced several match-winning performances for the team. He recently led Meerut Mavericks to the UP T20 League title, further strengthening his credentials for the leadership role.

"Rinku Singh has captaincy experience. He is slightly underrated, but he is the kind of character you need in a captain. He takes everyone along with him. He is unassuming. He is a match-winner, a performer and a contributor. If you look at all these qualities and then look at his performance as captain in UP T20, you will find that his captaincy does not affect his performance," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

"He puts the team ahead of himself. That's another quality he possesses. He is also someone you can put your arm around, talk to, explain things to and have a conversation with. In my humble opinion, I feel KKR should make Rinku Singh their captain," he added.

Earlier, former India batter Suresh Raina also backed Rinku as KKR's next captain, stating that the star batter has already proven his leadership abilities.

"Kaabil e tareef kaptaani Rinku Singh ki. Chautha season hai, chauthe final khel rahe hai (Meerut Mavericks). KKR kaptaan dhoond rahi hai, lekin mujhe lagta hai kaptaan mil gaya hai KKR ko (Rinku's captaincy has been worthy of praise. Fourth season, fourth final for Meerut Mavericks. KKR are looking for a captain, but I think they may have found him)," Raina said, speaking during the final.

"Thoda nivesh kijiye Rinku Singh pe, thode matches dijiye (They should invest in Rinku Singh, give him a few matches). You never know," Raina added.

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