KKR exposed brutally after weak links emerge right after IPL auction

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.

Despite his stellar performance in IPL 2024, where he smashed 488 runs at a phenomenal strike rate of 180.74, Aakash Chopra expressed concerns about whether Narine can replicate that form in the IPL 2025.

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.

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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, 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.

What happened last year was an aberration: Aakash Chopra on KKR's Sunil Narine

However, 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 Narine’s batting could prove risky for Kolkata.

Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel: “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, and 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 and 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.”

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They are inexperienced: Aakash Chopra on KKR's bowling attack

Meanwhile, Chopra believes that South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock has the potential to shine, but his inconsistency remains a concern.

The cricket pundit feels De Kock and Narine will open for Kolkata in the next season, and if the new opening pair fails to deliver, they will badly feel the absence of Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana.

Aakash also feels KKR has another weak link, and that is their inexperienced seam bowling attack for the IPL 2025.

Chopra signed off by saying, “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 Chakaravarthy had outstanding seasons last time, but that doesn't happen every time.”