If you are a fan of Kolkata Knight Riders, there is a crazy stat especially after losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 2012, KKR started their season with two big defeats. That campaign began with an eight-wicket loss to Delhi, followed by a 22-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals. At the time, KKR had a strong batting line-up on paper with Brendon McCullum, Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee and up-and-comer Sunil Narine in the side.
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Add to that the all-round presence of Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan and you had a team that was focused only on cricket and not on vibes. But two losses meant they had to act fast – and they did just that. In the games that followed, they made the bold call of dropping McCullum, one of the best players in T20 cricket, and bringing in Manvinder Bisla. It was an era with no impact submarines and no way to bring anyone back once they went down.
Rest, as they say, is history. KKR went on a sensational run, winning six of their next seven matches during the middle phase before beating CSK to clinch the IPL title. Now just two games into the season, the Kolkata side find themselves at a crossroads.
While Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Finn Allen have impressed, the bowling looks weak and Cameron Green as a mere batsman has disrupted their combination. The results showed that after the initial burst they lose momentum, with defeats by MI and SRH exposing their shortcomings. Ajinkya Rahane hinted changes after the April 2nd lossbut it looks like they’re going to have to make some big calls.
EXTRA DOUGH BUT WHO?
With Cameron Green not playing for KKR, Sunil Gavaskar said he needs to add more batter to the mix. While Green is a big money buy, if he is not bowling then KKR need someone who can strengthen the lower order.
“I think he’s got to be thinking somewhere down the line that if Cameron Green doesn’t bowl for you, you’ve got to pick another batter there because yeah, I think we know he’s got 100 in the IPL. We know he can bat well but his form wasn’t great when he came there.”
“The last game he played in Australia he got 100 in the Shield in a red-ball game, but here he has to look at his numbers 6 and 7. Yes, Cameron Green at 4, but I think 5 and 6 is also where I think they have problems. Rinku is there, but apart from that, who do they have?” Gavaskar told broadcasters.
After Rink, the presence of Andre Russell is sorely missed for KKR. While the onus has been on Ramandeep Singh and Anukul Roy, there has to be a power-hitting option. The obvious option is Rovman Powell, someone who has enjoyed a sensational run in T20s scoring 269 runs in 11 matches. But that would mean sacrificing one of their bowling options – Sunil Narine or Blessing Muzarabani – which would create another big problem.
Another option could be to bring in Tim Seifert, who shares a strong bond with Finn Allen from his time in New Zealand, and put him in the top spot. However, the question remains – who will clear the way?
An exciting and arguably risky option comes in the form of Delhi Premier League import Tejasvi Singh. During the 2025 DPL season, he amassed 339 runs in just 10 innings, hitting over 190 and finishing as the tournament’s second highest six-hitter with 29 career highs. His standout moment came in a rain-restricted chase where he blasted 69 off just 21 balls, including a record-breaking 12-ball half-century – the fastest in DPL history. Now, if KKR can bring him on Anukul or Ramandeep, it could improve at No. 6 and 7 spot.
NARINE OPENING BACK?
Narine provided some masala in the game against SRH and smashed a couple of sixes off his first two balls. He opened in previous seasons – one successful season in 2024 and another that didn’t quite work out. If KKR go this route, it will give them a complete attacking pair in Allen and Narine, who are sure to throw caution to the wind. But the problem is that it would move Rahane to No.3 and Raghuvanshi to No.4.
This is the phase that KKR need to manage carefully as both players tend to slow things down in the middle and create pressure on others. So for KKR, their next game will come at home against their former captain Shreyas Iyer and Punjab Kings on April 6. Until then, they have to find a solution. A third loss in as many games could derail their season prematurely. The men in purple and gold need to make some bold calls.
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Published on:
April 3, 2026, 9:00 AM IST
