The Kolkata Knight Riders’ struggles continued as they suffered their fifth loss of the IPL 2025 season, falling to the Gujarat Titans by 39 runs. This defeat pushed KKR down to seventh place in the points table under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy, with the team managing just three wins in eight matches so far.
A Lack of Consistency
One major issue plaguing KKR is their inability to settle on a consistent opening pair. The team has rotated through various players, including Sunil Narine, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Moeen Ali, to start their innings. This constant change has disrupted the batting rhythm.
Other factors contributing to KKR’s struggles include:
- Experimenting with their middle-order lineup, featuring players like Venkatesh Iyer and Angkrish Raghuvanshi in different positions.
- Frequently changing the batting order, which has affected the team’s overall performance.
A notable example is Raghuvanshi, who was promoted to the ninth spot in the batting order against Gujarat Titans and responded with an unbeaten 27 off 13 balls. In contrast, Venkatesh Iyer, who batted fourth, managed just 14 runs from 19 balls.
Impact on Team Performance
The constant changes to KKR’s batting lineup have had a clear impact on their scores. By frequently shuffling the batting order, the team has inadvertently created uncertainty among its players. Instead of focusing on winning, players are now more concerned with securing their spot in the lineup.