On Tuesday, Mohammad Kaif, the former Indian cricketer, shared his thoughts about Ajinkya Rahane’s approach on the field. He suggested that it might be time for Rahane to think a bit more about himself when it comes to DRS (Decision Review System) calls. Kaif pointed out how Rahane has a tendency to prioritize his teammates’ needs over his own, which may not always be in his best interest. This comment came after a situation where a poor decision led to Rahane losing his wicket to the Punjab Kings.
In that match, played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium, things didn’t go smoothly for Punjab. They struggled and ended up with just 111 runs, getting all out in the 16th over. Harshit Rana was on fire for Kolkata Knight Riders with three wickets, really helping his team out. Rahane had a decent partnership with Angkrish Raghuvanshi, putting together 55 runs for the third wicket. This was crucial in getting Kolkata past the halfway point in their chase pretty comfortably, with time to spare.
Then, an interesting moment happened when Yuzvendra Chahal bowled a googly that didn’t turn as expected. Rahane attempted a sweep but the ball ended up hitting his back leg. Punjab immediately appealed, and the umpire made the call in their favor. However, Rahane, who wasn’t keen on taking the review, began to head back to the dressing room. His teammate Raghuvanshi called him back, but they ultimately decided against reviewing the decision. Later on, the replays revealed the impact happened outside off stump. If Rahane had gone for the DRS, he would have been safe.
Kaif tweeted later saying, It’s about time Rahane, being the team player that he is, needs to look out for himself a little more. He’s a key batsman for KKR and should take the DRS whenever there’s even the slightest bit of doubt.
High time Rahane the team man becomes a bit selfish. He should realise, he is KKR's main batsman, he needs to take DRS if there is slightest of doubts.#KKRvPBKS
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 15, 2025
As the game progressed, things became more challenging for Kolkata. Chahal struck again in his next over, dismissing Raghuvanshi, who was caught by Xavier Bartlett at backward point, making for a nice grab. Kolkata found themselves at 72 for 4 halfway through the innings, making the game tense. Then, in the 11th over, Venkatesh Iyer was given out LBW off Glenn Maxwell. This decision went to the third umpire, who confirmed the on-field call after a thorough review. The match certainly had its ups and downs, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats.
