We were not game aware, but Wicket was good. Rahane

Both teams were bowled out in the game, and within 16 overs, but KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane refused to blame the surface for the defeat. High scores have been the norm in the IPL since the 2024 season began, and new standards are being established. In that regard, Tuesday’s (April 15) Punjab Kings vs. Kolkata Knight Riders match was reminiscent of T20 matches from the past, when there was a far more intense battle between the bat and the ball.

The 55-run partnership between Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi put the reigning champions in a strong position to chase a meagre target of 112. The outcome was inevitable at 62/2 in the eighth over, but Punjab’s bowlers orchestrated an incredible collapse. In the match, KKR set a new record for the lowest successfully defended total in IPL history, losing their final eight wickets for a mere 33 runs.

“It was a good wicket. Rahane stated at the press conference following the game that “it wasn’t an unplayable wicket or that something was wrong.”

“It was an excellent wicket. It was becoming a bit late for the ball. However, half of the labour was done by the bowlers. They were all out at 111, as you mentioned. On this wicket, chasing at 112 was rather simple. We also got off to a strong start. I believe we had three wickets at 70 after reaching 50 in the Powerplay. But once more, the batting unit as a whole is to blame.

The necessary run rate is sometimes a major cause of batting breakdowns in run chases. That was never a problem for KKR during their innings, which is ironic. At the beginning of the chase, KKR was in a precarious position where they needed only 50 runs from the final 75 deliveries with eight wickets remaining. The captain’s dismissal at that point ended the Rahane-Angkrish alliance. After that, the innings took a dramatic turn for the worse.

It’s not always only about making big shots or hitting sixes. Rotation of the strike is also crucial. And with our batting unit, I’m positive that didn’t occur. Not that Punjab bowled particularly well. As a batting team, I believe we played poor cricket. Since we were unable to find this, I assume this duty as captain. However, I have no doubt that each player, particularly the batters, will reflect on their own performance and get better in the next games.

“The competition is half over. There have been seven games. There’s still half left. It’s always important to return with the intention of learning and growing as a hitter so that you can compete in the following game.”

The standout bowler for Punjab was Yuzvendra Chahal (4-28), but the hosts also had great success with Glenn Maxwell’s part-time offies. The game took a significant turn thanks to Punjab’s spinners, while Marco Jansen’s three-wicket haul was also a talking point. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, the spin twins of KKR, had a fantastic game earlier as they destroyed PBKS’s potent batting lineup.

In retrospect, considering the amount of turn and bite in the surface, Moeen Ali may have been a powerful third spinner. Anrich Nortje, who had a mediocre performance in his season-opening match, was chosen by the visitors instead. Rahane responded pragmatistically when asked if Moeen, a third spinner, could have increased KKR’s lead.

“After examining the pitch, we concluded that three spinners would not be necessary. In the past, I don’t believe more than two spinners have played on this ground, and fast bowlers can receive assistance. Despite Moeen Ali’s excellent bowling in the previous two games, this was our tactical choice. We believed it would be preferable if Nortje took this wicket and bowled incredibly well.

“If you look at it, the wickets were taken by our quick bowlers. They continued to exert pressure. Perhaps Moeen Ali could have got wickets if he had played on this track, but as a management team, we believed that three pacers and two spinners were the best option on this pitch.

One of the three KKR hitters to reach double figures was Rahane. During his brief appearance, the captain exuded confidence, and his dramatic expulsion gave PBKS the boost they needed to resume play. Replays revealed that a review may have spared Rahane, who was trapped LBW after falling to a sweep shot against Chahal, because the impact was well outside off stump. Rahane gave the evaluation some thought, but the KKR captain chose to leave without providing any firm feedback from Raghuvanshi.

“As a batter, I assumed I would put the review off until later. Because it shouldn’t occur that once I take the review, there is only one left. Additionally, there was a lack of clarity in the two batsmen’s communication. As a batter, you accept the evaluation if someone comes and expressly states that the impact may be outside or absent. However, there was a lack of clarity in the batsmen’s communication. That’s why I didn’t take the review.

“But once Again, no grievances. We performed poorly as a batting unit aside from that. We lost the game today as a result of that.”

Due to their high-flying style, which was the talk of their 2024 championship campaign, KKR has frequently struggled against spin bowling. Their hitters appeared to be at a loss when navigating the chase and only had one backup plan, despite the glaring absence of scoreboard pressure. Rahane maintained that his team wasn’t trying to increase their net run rate, despite the fact that some of the odd dismissals did seem to indicate an extreme level of aggression.

“Undoubtedly, we had two points in mind. Two points come first, followed by the net run rate. It was certain that two points were crucial until I was batting.

It’s not about hitting sixes or increasing the net run rate, as I mentioned. The wicket wasn’t flat. There was something for bowlers to enjoy. We have to persevere. It’s acceptable to play your maiden over in T20 occasionally. It’s okay to play with a strike rate of 70 or 80. But I believe you should just persevere. Rotating the strike as a batting unit is the key.

And in my opinion, T20 is about more than just hitting sixes. Even so, the majority of the players are aiming for big shots right now. “When they bat, they want to appear well on the pitch. That isn’t the point. It all comes down to being able to read the situation properly and possessing that game awareness as a batter as a person. Then go with the game. I believed we were lacking that today.

Choosing to include Moeen is a difficult decision that keeps coming up. The Englishman’s bowling is more valuable to KKR now that his batting output has decreased in recent years, especially on turning fields where the accuracy of the off-spinner is a significant advantage. Although the southpaw’s spin-hitting ability is a strength that KKR’s batting lineup lacks, it cannot be a significant contributing element given his declining batting form.

“We can only play four international players, four overseas players, depending on the wicket. So far, Moeen has been excellent for us. Even though he performed so well in the last game, I find it really difficult to tell him, Moeen, that he is not playing tonight. He has been understanding, though. He has played cricket all over the world. He is aware of the circumstances. He is also aware of the dynamics within the team. Well done, he.

“He has always worked well with others. Therefore, Moeen joining the squad would be fantastic. But once more, we’ll make a decision based on the circumstances and the wicket.

KKR would have hoped for another decisive victory in Mullanpur after winning easily on a sluggish track in Chepauk. Rather, they suffered a crushing defeat as they crashed and burnt.

Rahane denied that the loss may have been caused by complacency.

“Not at all. You see, every player and every boy exudes confidence. They have adequate self-assurance. They have enough experience to deal with any issue. We weren’t overconfident or complacent, in my opinion. Our batting performance was poor. That was the reality.

“That game awareness was absent from us. The circumstances and what was required to be played on that wicket. It was all about taking your time when we lost those three or four wickets. spinning the strike, even singles. That was significant.