NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane faced heavy criticism on Monday after opting to bat first in a rain-threatened clash against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens. In matches with rain forecasts, captains usually prefer to field first to have clarity on the target in a shortened game. However, Rahane’s decision did not go down well with many, including legendary Anil Kumble and former India cricketers Ravichandran Ashwin and Saba Karim.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the rain was triggered by a low-pressure trough stretching from Bihar to Manipur, passing over North Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh, leading to moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal.“Thunderstorms with lightning and rain may occur in most districts of South Bengal. From Sunday to Thursday, scattered rainfall is likely across the state, with higher intensity on Tuesday and Wednesday,” the IMD said.Despite these conditions, Rahane’s decision to bat first drew criticism from former cricketers.“I am surprised that Rahane won the toss and chose to bat first. On a pitch like this, where there’s some rain around, ideally, you would want to field first,” Kumble said on the JioHotstar broadcast during the rain break.Ashwin took to social media and posted a sarcastic remark.“When you know it’s going to be a rain affected game, with an inexperienced bowling attack at your disposal, you choose to bat first. Interesting thought process. #ipl2026,” Ashwin wrote.“I cannot understand this call. I cannot wrap my head around it,” Saba said.Former Bengal batter Shreevats Goswami wrote: “Very surprised to see Rahane winning the toss & electing to bat first on a overcast condition. Bit of a shocker there. Immediately you can see swing and 2 caught behinds. Very very brave call. #kkr,” he said.Rain then interrupted Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL match against Punjab Kings, with the home side struggling at 25 for 2 in 3.4 overs amid steady drizzle that later intensified into a thunderstorm.Opting to bat, KKR – still searching for their first win of the season – were jolted early as Xavier Bartlett struck twice in the span of three balls.Showing excellent control over swing and seam, the Australian pacer dismissed KKR’s two key overseas batters Finn Allen (6) and Cameron Green (4), who had been promoted to No. 3.Green, the highest-paid overseas player at Rs 25.20 crore, endured another poor outing, having earlier scored 18 against Mumbai Indians and 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, as KKR’s struggles continued following two opening losses.Skipper Rahane (8) and young wicketkeeper-batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi (7), who has been KKR’s most consistent performer this season with back-to-back fifties, were attempting to rebuild when persistent drizzle forced the umpires to halt play at 7:45 pm.With Eden Gardens equipped with full ground covers, the groundstaff moved swiftly to cover the entire field.
