KKR emerged as champions in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Their impressive performance throughout the tournament, with a record of nine victories and only three defeats, along with two points from postponed matches, earned them the top spot on the league table. In addition, they secured their place in the final by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1. Led by an exceptional performance from Mitchell Starc at the start, KKR clinched their third IPL title in emphatic fashion.
What updates can we expect in 2025?
The incoming captain, Ajinkya Rahane, will fill one of the available slots that were vacated by Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana. Additionally, we have brought in Quinton de Kock to replace Phil Salt and maintain a high level of performance. Our overseas reserves are also impressive, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz serving as the reserve opener and new additions Moeen Ali and Rovman Powell adding strength and adaptability to our team.
Starc has a suitable replacement for his bowling role in Australia’s left-arm swing bowler, Spencer Johnson. Johnson debuted in the IPL with Gujarat Titans last season. As an alternative option for the overseas seamer position, Anrich Nortje brings more experience to the table.
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There is a fresh appearance beyond the playing field as well. The members of Gautam Gambhir’s team have departed, while Dwayne Bravo and Ottis Gibson have been brought on board as mentor and assistant coach, respectively. Rahane teams up with Chandrakant Pandit, who previously coached him in domestic cricket.
With the likes of Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, and Andre Russell comprising KKR’s lower middle order, they continue to be a formidable force in the death overs. The team will undoubtedly rely on Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana to carry over their strong performances from the international stage with the ball.
The most probable top 12
Sunil Narine*, Quinton de Kock* (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell*, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje*, Varun Chakravarthy, and Vaibhav Arora make up the starting lineup for today’s match.
Key players to keep an eye on
Will Ajinkya Rahane continue his impressive performance from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in December? He was ranked as the top scorer of the tournament and had a remarkable strike-rate of 164.56. His role as a bridge between the openers and middle order for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2023 was excellent, and KKR will hope to see that same version of Rahane this season.
Sunil Narine and Andre Russell are entering the tournament with less-than-ideal form, as both have struggled with their batting during the ILT20 in January-February. In addition, Narine has failed to take any wickets in six of his last ten T20 matches, though he has only given up more than 24 runs on four occasions. Despite this, KKR has chosen to keep these experienced 36-year-olds on their team and have faith in them to deliver when it counts. The question remains: can they continue to perform at this level year after year?
Luvnith Sisodia, hailing from Karnataka and known for his skill as a wicketkeeper-batter, could serve as an unconventional contender at the top. This would open the door for Moeen or Powell to join the team. KKR has a history of selecting talented, up-and-coming local players, and Sisodia’s exceptional performance in the Maharaja T20 Trophy for semi-finalists Gulbarga Mystics did not go unnoticed.
Important statistics
Last season, Andre Russell’s performance on the field was impressive, as he claimed 19 wickets in just 29.2 overs, boasting a 9.2 strike rate. However, in T20s since IPL 2024, he has bowled 66.5 overs and only managed to secure 17 wickets at a higher strike rate of 23.5. As Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora lead the Indian quick bowling attack for the team, with Spencer Johnson still gaining experience and Anrich Nortje recovering from injury, much will be expected from Russell.
In IPL 2024, KKR boasted the most formidable spin attack, a strength that they have chosen to maintain for the upcoming season. Their record of 38 wickets was unrivaled, with a notable eight-wicket lead over the second-ranking team. Moreover, their average of 23.18 was significantly superior to any other team, and their economy rate (7.68) was surpassed only by the spinners of Chennai Super Kings.
Quinton de Kock has been a consistent performer in the IPL, scoring 500-plus runs in three seasons and leading his team into the playoffs each time. The Mumbai Indians even won the trophy twice under his leadership in 2019 and 2020. However, his performance took a dip in IPL 2024, as he could only manage 250 runs in 11 matches for Lucknow Super Giants at an average of 22.72.
Who’s unavailable or uncertain?
Nortje is capable of reaching speeds in the high 140s (kph) when he is in top form, but he recently returned from a back injury. As a result, he was unable to participate in the SA20 and Champions Trophy tournaments and has not played since December 2024. Currently, all other players are healthy.
