Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has raised concerns over Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy, particularly his use of Varun Chakaravarthy during Kolkata Knight Riders’ defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday. Pathan felt that Varun, who has been struggling for rhythm since the T20 World Cup, was not managed well at a time when he needed support. Although the mystery spinner finished the global tournament with 14 wickets — joint-high alongside Jasprit Bumrah — his economy rate remained a concern, going at over nine an over. His struggles were particularly visible against South Africa, where he conceded 47 runs in a heavy defeat. That dip in form has carried into the IPL season. Varun leaked 48 runs in four overs against Mumbai Indians and followed it up with another expensive outing against SRH, conceding 31 runs in just two overs. Pathan pointed out that Rahane’s role as captain becomes even more critical in such phases, especially when a key bowler is low on confidence. “Captain plays a big role to get your confidence up as a bowler. If he doesn’t support you in a moment where you think you can do better and you have got the momentum, this is where the leadership comes in and this is why he (Varun Chakaravarthy) should not have bowled in the power play,” Pathan said on ESPNCricinfo. Varun was introduced during the powerplay and was taken apart for 25 runs in a single over. Although he bounced back strongly in his next spell, conceding just six runs, he was not given the chance to complete his full quota of overs. Pathan went further, suggesting that the decision to bowl him early added unnecessary pressure on a bowler who has previously been a match-winner for KKR. “You are losing on a bowler, you know, who can be your trump card, who can be your match winner, who has been your match winner. You are giving him the tough job as a captain. So this is where Ajinkya Rahane did really well in the second half, but first half literally messed it up with Varun Chakaravarthy by bowling him in the power play,” he concluded. With Varun’s form under scrutiny and KKR struggling to find balance early in the season, Rahane’s tactical calls are likely to remain under the spotlight in the coming games.
