IPL 2026: Skippers Rahane, Pant under scrutiny as KKR, LSG fight to stay alive

The adage that a captain is only as good as his team holds a grim truth for Rishabh Pant and Ajinkya Rahane As Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders prepare to meet this Sunday in the IPL both find their leadership under fire mirroring the fading fortunes of their respective franchisesKKRs bold call to persist with Rahane at the helm after a woeful IPL 2025 campaign was debated even before the tournament began The concerns have only deepened as results failed to followIt took them seven matches to register their first win a narrow escape powered by individual brilliance from Rinku Singh rather than a collective resurgenceIts true that Rahane has shown a transformative approach with flashes of positive intent a 67 off 40 against Mumbai Indians and a brisk 41 off 24 against LSGBut in a format on the fast lane those starts have rarely translated into matchshaping contributions At a time when he is nearly 38 persisting with him as a longterm T20 leader looks increasingly out of step with the demands of the formatRahane hasnt been helped by a depleted pace attack and a quiet start from spin spearhead Varun Chakravarthy Yet along with head coach Abhishek Nayar who had an equally uninspiring campaign with UP Warriorz at this seasons Womens Premier League Rahane has been found wanting in key areas team selection and resource utilisationRachin Ravindra continues to warm the bench while Finn Allen and Tim Seifert have played musical chairs without clarity Rahanes calls at the toss have also been baffling like choosing to bat on a twopaced moistureladen surface against Gujarat Titans led to a collapse to 323 while a similar decision under overcast conditions against Punjab Kings had them reeling at 252 in two overs before rain intervenedEven as he has adopted a more aggressive approach with the bat Rahanes decisionmaking has lacked conviction His recent returns reflect that disconnect including consecutive ducks the latest coming when the situation demanded composure against Rajasthan Royals Instead he fell to an expansive stroke leaving KKR in deeper trouble before Rinkus unbeaten 53 salvaged the chaseKKR may carry some momentum into the Ekana Stadium but with just three points they now need at least six wins from their remaining seven matches which seem an improbable taskLSGs campaign too has unravelled Placed ninth with just two wins at the halfway mark the Pantled side is also staring at an early exit compounded by four straight defeats and a string of questionable onfield decisions from their captainPants struggles have been particularly stark Since a matchwinning unbeaten 67 against Sunrisers Hyderabad he has managed only 72 runs in five innings including a threeball duck against Rajasthan Royals That dismissal summed up his current state Chasing 160 on a challenging pitch in Lucknow Pant walked in after an early runout and responded recklessly The situation demanded patience and awareness and Pant offered neitherAgainst a disciplined Rajasthan attack featuring Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger preserving wickets in the power play was crucial but Pants approach showed little regard for match conditions LSGs struggles are compounded by a poor home recordThe Ekana Stadium has hardly been a fortress for the Sanjiv Goenkaowned side six losses in eight matches here last season including five in a row and three consecutive defeats this year alreadyOverall they have just nine wins from 24 games at the venue Their batting has lacked consistency with frequent toporder collapses exposing a misfiring middle orderOverseas mainstays Nicholas Pooran 73 runs and Aiden Markram 162 runs have failed to deliver The round one has belonged to the Pantled side who unearthed a new star in Mukul Choudhary but he has faded since his 27ball 54 not outPathirana boostKKR are set to receive a boost with the return of Sri Lankan slinger Matheesha Pathirana their Rs 18crore recruit who is in line for his debut in purple brigade Likely to replace Tim Seifert Pathiranas presence could add bite to an attack that has lacked penetrationKnown for his deadly yorkers Pathirana was seen honing his skills under bowling coach Tim Southee here His potential matchup against the likes of Mitchell Marsh and Pant could be one of the defining contests of the gameAs far as their overall captaincy records are concerned Rahane has so far won six matches and lost 12 games in 20 outings as KKR skipper while LSG have won eight times and lost on 13 occasions in 21 matches under Pants leadershipThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever