Kolkata Knight Riders may be searching for answers as their season struggles continue, and captain Ajinkya Rahane has found himself at the centre of fresh debate. With his responsibilities stretching from batting at the top of the order to leading the side, Rahane\u2019s intent and decision-making have both come under scrutiny. However, former KKR coach Chandrakant Pandit\u2014who was part of the management setup last year when Rahane first took over the captaincy\u2014has pushed back against the criticism, arguing that the veteran\u2019s approach in T20 cricket is largely aligned with the job assigned to him.<\/p>\n
Pandit\u2019s comments came after Rahane\u2019s place as an opening batter and the wider pressure that comes with captaining a franchise in a tough run. While Rahane\u2019s role as the team\u2019s top-order anchor has been questioned, Pandit believes the concerns overlook how the shortest format demands different styles of batting at different stages of an innings. The former coach also addressed the \u201cpressure\u201d tag attached to the KKR skipper, especially given the team\u2019s overall campaign.<\/p>\n
Asked specifically about Rahane\u2019s criticism as a T20 batter, Pandit said the batter has delivered when he has been given opportunities. He pointed to Rahane\u2019s performances over recent seasons and insisted that the veteran\u2019s record is not limited to the IPL, but extends to other T20 competitions as well.<\/p>\n
On the question of pressure, Pandit acknowledged that there is some added weight on Rahane, particularly because KKR\u2019s campaign has not gone well. Still, he maintained that the skipper is doing what is expected of him as a senior figure in the squad.<\/p>\n
Pandit also drew parallels between Rahane\u2019s playing style and those of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shubman Gill, saying they all fall into a similar category of batters. He highlighted an adaptable, composed approach that works across formats and suggested Rahane\u2019s current batting reflects the correct plan for a top-order role, particularly after the powerplay.<\/p>\n
Finally, Pandit underlined that every KKR batter has a different job description, especially the power hitters tasked with accelerating the run rate. He specifically mentioned Rovman Powell as one of the players the franchise relies on to push the tempo forward. In his view, the key is balance across the team, and Rahane\u2019s approach fits into that structure.<\/p>\n
Kolkata Knight Riders may be searching for answers as their season struggles continue, and captain Ajinkya Rahane has found himself at the centre of fresh…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5126,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Rahane Batting Debate as KKR Struggles Continue","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"KKR\u2019s struggles deepen as Ajinkya Rahane faces fresh T20 batting scrutiny. Chandrakant Pandit defends his captaincy amid IPL 2026 debate.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n