Sunil Narine, the greatest player in IPL history: Ambati Rayudu makes a bold claim

While Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni dominate the popularity charts, former India batsman Ambati Rayudu believes the conversation of the greatest IPL player of all time belongs to someone else. After Kolkata Knight Riders’ towering victory over Gujarat Titans, Rayudu bypassed the league’s most famous icons to crown Sunil Narine as the undisputed number one.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Rayudu delivered a strong verdict on the West Indian’s legacy, highlighting his unrivaled value as a true two-way player.

“Best IPL player ever in my opinion,” said Rayudu. “A match winner with the ball, with the bat. I don’t think there have been any great players in the IPL but this guy always stands out. He’s right at the top of the list for me.”

Overcoming Controversy to Achieve Greatness

Former India coach Sanjay Bangar strongly backed Rayudu’s claim, placing Narine firmly in his all-time top five. Bangar praised the KKR star’s resilience and pointed to how he rebuilt his bowling craft after his act was questioned several times during his career.

“He had to overcome a lot of problems in terms of how his act was questioned,” Bangar said. “But he found a different way of delivering while retaining the ability to make the ball spin both ways. That puts huge doubts in the batsman’s mind. Those qualities make him a legend.”

A landmark 200th match keeps KKR alive

The praise arrived at the perfect moment, with Narine in his a landmark 200th IPL match for KKR in a must-win clash.

Batting first, KKR posted a best of 247 for 2. Opener Finn Allen lit up the ground with a blistering 93 off just 35 balls, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi (82*) and Cameron Green (52*) added an unbeaten 108-run partnership to finish the innings in dominant fashion.

In reply, Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill launched a brilliant counter attacksmashed 85 to keep his side in contention. However, it was Narine who opened the game. The veteran spinner outwitted the dangerous Gill and lured him into a fake shot en route to figures of 2 for 29.

Despite fighting half-centuries from Jose Buttler (57) and Sai Sudharsan (53*), GT ended at 218 for 4. The 29-run win keeps KKR’s slim playoff hopes alive, proving that even after 200 matches, Sunil Narine remains one of the ultimate match-winners of the IPL.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

May 17, 2026 14:36 IST