IPL 2026 | ‘On pitch like this, you’d want to field first’: Anil Kumble on KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane’s decision to bat first in rainy conditions | Cricket News
3 min readApr 7, 2026 12:04 PM IST With two losses in as many matches so far in IPL 2026, Ajinkya Rahane-led Kolkata Knight Riders have not had the best of starts to the season. With the threat of rain looming large in Kolkata prior to the team’s match against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens on Monday evening, Rahane opted to bat first after winning the toss. With clouds hanging over the stadium and rain looking inevitable, captains often choose to field first so that the target is known at the end of the match. However, Rahane chose to bat first. Kolkata Knight Riders lost two wickets for 25 runs in 3.4 overs — both scalps being picked by Punjab pacer Xavier Bartlett in the second over before heavy rains arrived. Rahane’s decision could have backfired had the match restarted after the rain break. While the match was eventually called off with rain ensuring no further play, Rahane’s decision to bat first in such conditions drew criticism from the likes of former India captain and …









