The Eden Gardens faithful witnessed a moment of brilliance on Thursday night as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane pulled off a jaw-dropping catch to dismiss Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) dangerous batter Ishan Kishan during Match 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The sensational grab, executed in the third over of SRH’s chase, sent shockwaves through the stadium and set the tone for KKR’s dominance in the early stages of the game.
Ajinkya Rahane stuns Ishan Kishan with a blinder
The incident occurred in the first ball of the third over, with SRH reeling at 9/2 after losing openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma in quick succession. Vaibhav Arora, KKR’s pace sensation, delivered a fuller ball angling across the left-handed Kishan, who had walked in at No. 3 following Head’s dismissal. Kishan, eager to break the shackles after managing just 2 runs off his first few deliveries, went for an aerial cover drive. The ball flew uppishly towards the cover region, where Rahane, stationed as captain and fielder extraordinaire, leapt into action.
With the agility of a seasoned athlete, Rahane dove to his left, timing his jump to perfection. The ball seemed destined to evade him, but Rahane’s outstretched hands clasped around it mid-air, completing a catch that left spectators and commentators in awe. The Eden Gardens crowd erupted as Kishan, visibly stunned, trudged back to the pavilion, his innings cut short at just 2 runs off 4 balls. SRH were suddenly 9/3 in 2.1 overs, chasing a daunting 201 set by KKR.
Here is the video:
Rapid Rahane, Rampant #KKR 🔝 👊
A superb catch to highlight a dream start for KKR in the field 👌
Updates ▶ https://t.co/jahSPzdeys#TATAIPL | #KKRvSRH | @KKRiders | @ajinkyarahane88 pic.twitter.com/gWhXWfLxff
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 3, 2025
Also WATCH: IPL 2025 – Harshal Patel’s unbelievable catch ends Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s aggressive knock during KKR vs SRH clash
A captain’s inspiration
Rahane’s catch wasn’t just a moment of individual brilliance—it was a statement of intent from a captain leading from the front. KKR, coming off two losses in their first three games of IPL 2025, desperately needed a spark to reignite their campaign. The 36-year-old veteran, who has taken over the reins from Shreyas Iyer this season, provided exactly that. His leadership and composure under pressure have been under scrutiny, but this acrobatic effort silenced doubters and galvanized his team.
