Sunil Narine’s Struggles as Opener Highlight Need for Ajinkya Rahane at the Top
Sunil Narine’s struggles as an opener in IPL 2025 have raised concerns for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In three matches so far, the Caribbean all-rounder has managed scores of 44, 0, and 7, failing to replicate his stellar performances from IPL 2024. His inability to build partnerships with fellow opener Quinton de Kock has further compounded KKR’s woes at the top order. This contrasts sharply with Narine’s success last season, where he thrived alongside Phil Salt under Gautam Gambhir’s mentorship.
With Narine misfiring, the pressure has shifted to the rest of the batting lineup. KKR might benefit from moving him back to the lower order temporarily. A natural replacement as opener could be skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who is in excellent form. Rahane has scored 56, 18, 11, and 38 in four IPL 2025 games and showcased remarkable consistency in domestic tournaments like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (469 runs at an average of 58.62). His proven ability to excel as an opener makes him a strong candidate to stabilize KKR’s top order.
Utilizing Rahane’s current form could help KKR regain momentum while allowing Narine to focus on his strengths in other roles.