The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fell to their second defeat on the trot in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). The three-time IPL champions lost to the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 65 runs at the Eden Gardens on Thursday, April 2.

It was a mixed outing for both teams. While the Knight Riders are winless, the SunRisers got off the mark thanks to an improved bowling performance and the return to form of their openers.

On that note, here are two players who starred and one who flopped in today’s KKR vs SRH match.

#3 Star – Harsh Dubey

Harsh Dubey’s impact may not have been accurately depicted in the scorecard. At a time when Heinrich Klaasen was struggling to find his timing, he chipped in with a couple of crucial boundaries that took SRH to an above-par total.

In the second innings, Dubey offered two powerplay overs of great control. He dismissed the rampaging Finn Allen with a stunning caught-and-bowled and kept the other KKR batters in check as well. If not for the left-arm spinner’s efforts, Ishan Kishan may not have had any reliable options to turn to in the powerplay.

#2 Flop – Ajinkya Rahane

KKR’s captain came out with an explosive press conference blasting his critics. But at some point, Ajinkya Rahane must face the facts. His spin game clearly isn’t up to the mark, and that makes it very difficult for Kolkata to pair him up with someone who covers for his weaknesses.

Rahane is a terrific hitter of pace but has a curious weakness against Jaydev Unadkat, who once again got the better of him. The Knight Riders skipper’s struggle in the powerplay wasn’t pleasant to watch, and he was even uncharacteristically sloppy on the field.

#1 Star – Travis Head

Travis Head’s blitz to kick off the SRH innings played a big role in the team’s win. The destructive opener took down Vaibhav Arora to give his side a flying start, one that put KKR under serious pressure.

Head’s heroics had a carry-on effect. Rahane had to introduce Varun Chakaravarthy early in the powerplay, and Abhishek Sharma destroyed the spinner. Following that, the Knight Riders were always playing catch-up in the first innings.