Aakash Chopra mentioned that Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine were unplayable in the previous season, and this could continue in IPL 2025 as well. As the IPL 2025 auction concluded with all franchises forming their solid line-up, questions loom over Kolkata Knight Riders’ overconfidence in Sunil Narine as a key batter for the next season. Aakash Chopra feels that Kolkata Knight Riders have managed to retain a strong team, and the addition of a few players is good news for the franchise.
While Sunil Narine is still dangerous with both bat and ball, the cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra pointed out that while Varun has witnessed massive growth as a bowler,
Aakash Chopra highlights Kolkata Knight Riders’ weak links ahead of IPL 2025
Last season, Sunil Narine was a revelation at the top of the order, forming a destructive opening pair with Phil Salt for the Kolkata Knight Riders and playing a key role in their third IPL triumph. With Salt no longer in the mix, KKR might pair Narine with either Quinton de Kock or Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
However, Aakash Chopra has warned the Kolkata franchise against banking too heavily on Sunil Narine’s batting prowess in the IPL 2025, citing his inconsistent performances in previous IPL seasons and in other tournaments since his explosive campaign earlier this year.
Over the three IPL seasons before his breakout IPL 2024 as an opener with the KKR, Sunil Narine struggled to deliver with the bat. These underwhelming stats and the added pressure of replicating his last season’s form could be a potential weak link in Kolkata Knight Riders’ plans for the upcoming season.
However, Aakash Chopra admitted that Narine’s dual role as a spin-bowling all-rounder remains crucial for KKR, but the franchise may need to rethink their strategy if the runs don’t flow from his bat as an opener as they did last season. He feels Sunil Narine’s batting could prove risky for Kolkata.
Aakash Chopra questions Sunil Narine’s batting as KKR’s potential weakness in IPL 2025
Aakash Chopra reckons one of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) potential weaknesses heading into IPL 2025 could be their assumption that Sunil Narine will fire with the bat. He pointed out that the spin-bowling all-rounder hasn’t been among the runs since his exploits as an opener in IPL 2024.
With 488 runs at a strike rate of 180.74 in 14 innings, Sunil Narine was KKR’s top run-scorer in IPL 2024. He formed a successful opening partnership with Phil Salt last season and will likely open with either Quinton de Kock or Rahmanullah Gurbaz in IPL 2025.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, the former India opener wasn’t too optimistic about Sunil Narine repeating his last season’s performances with the bat for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming edition of the IPL.
“You are assuming that Sunil Narine will have a similar season as a batter. It’s great if that happens, I will say sandesh, rasgulla, rasmalai, mishti doi, everything in his name, but what are the chances of it being like that – not very bright. I would say what happened last year was an aberration,” he said .
“I am saying that because if you see the three seasons before that as a batter and his returns with the bat since the IPL until now, he has not scored the runs at all. So how can you assume that he will do very well? (Phil) Salt won’t be there with him in any case,” Chopra added.
Chopra noted that De Kock, who will potentially open with Narine, can be brilliant but is also inconsistent. He added that if the opening partnership is not good, KKR will miss Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana a little more.
Aakash Chopra shares his opinion on KKR’s fast-bowling issue
In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that inexperience in seam bowling could be another of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ weaknesses.
“The fast-bowling contingent has Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora and Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje. On the face of it, you feel it’s okay, but they are inexperienced. Mitchell Starc was there last time. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy had outstanding seasons last time but that doesn’t happen every time,” he said
The former KKR player added that death bowling could be a potential concern for the three-time champions.
“In such a scenario, you need more workload from the fast bowlers, and I feel there is a slight inexperience there. Who will bowl at the death will be a question. Will everyone’s form remain good will be a question. Spin is sorted but I see a slight lack of experience in fast bowling,” Chopra observed.
Harshit Rana will likely be one of KKR’s death bowlers. One among Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson and Andre Russell might bowl the final overs along with him. KKR retained Rinku Singh (INR 13 crore), Andre Russell (INR 12 crore), Sunil Narine (INR 12 crore), Varun Chakravarthy ( INR 12 crore), Ramandeep Singh (INR 4 crore), and Harshit Rana (INR 4 crore) for IPL 2025. Rana and Ramandeep were given the retention before the cut-off date of October 31. Both of them became capped players after that.