They also lost nine matches on the bounce, the season-defining loss coming against Rajasthan Royals after Brad Hodge dropped a stiff chance off Yusuf Pathan in the Super Over bowled by Ajantha Mendis.

In Mullanpur, Rahane said the sweep was not the right shot but three players perished trying it. It started with the skipper, who said he was guilty as charged. What made it worse was that Rahane did not review.

Chasing 112, motoring along to 62/2 in the eighth over, the need was to bat sensibly. There does not seem to be anyone in this line-up barring Rahane who can do that. That raises questions of batters KKR have paid big money to retain.

“T20 is not only about hitting sixes and big shots,” Rahane said after KKR’s fourth loss of the season. “Strike rotation too is important.”

In a modest chase, KKR managed only 25 singles, five of them in the over after the power play, and two twos. It is okay to play out a maiden and have a strike rate of 70 or 80 in T20, said Rahane. “Sometimes you need to grind it out.” His team didn’t.

While the openers are expected to attack, the inability of the rest of the batting order to curb uber aggressive instincts – “they want to look good while batting,” Rahane said of players’ tendency to go for glory and it was not just KKR he was referring to – proved to be a problem in the eight-wicket away loss to Mumbai Indians. And on Tuesday.

Venkatesh Iyer and Ramandeep Singh also fell trying to sweep. Iyer, KKR’s vice-captain, scored a brilliant 60 off 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad and 45 off 29 balls against Lucknow Super Giants but has not reached double figures in the remaining three innings that he has batted. With Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi gone and KKR 39 runs from a win and with more than half the overs remaining, Iyer and Rinku Singh should have tried to forge a partnership. Iyer’s dismissal prevented that.

Ramandeep Singh fell to a full toss from Yuzvendra Chahal trying a paddle sweep off the first ball he faced . With a leg-slip in place the shot was avoidable especially from a player yet to bat more than 12 balls this season when he was up against a very clever leg-spinner. It also meant KKR were 76/7 from being 72/3 in 2.4 overs.

“Game awareness as a batter is important and that is what we lacked today. It was not that Punjab Kings bowled really well. We batted poorly and I take responsibility as captain,” said Rahane.

The dismissals of Rinku Singh, foxed by Chahal, Iyer, Ramandeep Singh and Raghuvanshi proved to be key in a match where neither team could last 16 overs.

Raghuvanshi, 20, has shots all around the wicket, is an able fielder in the deep and his score of 37 was the highest across both teams. But he fell trying an expansive shot over cover when 39 was required from 11 overs with seven wickets in hand.

Raghuvanshi will also need to be more decisive in his communication. You depend on the non-striker and the communication was not clear, said Rahane explaining why he did not review.

Having been all out twice and with more than three overs to spare, KKR’s batting could need recalibration. Iyer, Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh bat the same way. If they cannot tailor their approach as per the situation, KKR could need a batter who does not start in fifth gear but can keep the scoreboard moving.

Nitish Rana did that for long but he has moved. Manish Pandey can too but either he is a like-for-like swap with Raghuvanshi as impact sub or he will need to be included at the expense of one of the retained players.