Defending Champions Kolkata Knight Riders Struggling in IPL 2025, Know Why

Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, KKR

April 21, 2025

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Defending Champions Kolkata Knight Riders Struggling in IPL 2025, Know Why

The defending champions and title holders of the Indian Premier League 2024 were the Kolkata Knight Riders, the men in the shades of royalty- purple. However, in the ongoing edition of IPL 2025, it seems as though something is missing in the KKR camp.

Their new season this year began itself on a losing note, as the opening match between them and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru didn’t work in their favour, despite playing on their home ground Eden Gardens as the venue.

Since then, the squad has gone on to play six more matches and out of the seven games totally, they have managed to emerge victorious on just three occasions. Currently, they are placed at the lower end of the points table, with six points on seventh position. As of today, they are set to play their next match on April 21 against the table-toppers Gujarat Titans, once again on their home turf itself. But, since match 1 to now, the form has only declined and the Ajinkya Rahane led men have faltered multiple times.

Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, KKR

Despite having the likes of reputed names such as Chandrakant Pandit, Dwayne Bravo and newly joined Abhishek Nayar as their coaches, clearly things have gone against them, failing to convert their matches into performances, and losses into wins.

The Riders’ team seem to be suffering in the aftermath of an embarrassing failure to chase down just 112 runs against the Punjab Kings, the lowest failed total in the long history of the IPL. The Eden Gardens will witness a match between two teams at completely different ends in terms of their confidence and momentum, with GT looking to extend their lead at the top and KKR currently struggling between less wins and more losses.

They have had nearly a week to recover from that disaster, and playing once again at home might spin things in their side. Honestly, by the looks of it and as a true KKR supporter, they haven’t played this season out as if they are the defending champions.

The rather strong side on paper has turned out to be lanky and laid-back on ground, grappling hard in their batting department, and continuous shuffle with the bowling too, in a search to find their perfect combination. They quickly need to figure out what sort of a team maximizes their strengths and covers for their weaknesses, which so far have been found and hammered at by opposition teams.

Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, KKR

The fiercely competitive nature seems to be missing this time, as if the spirit and energy to fight till the last ball is drained out. Though they are due a huge score and a deserving win, with the ever-changing strategies, it is something they haven’t managed quite yet. As much as anything, it is about making the top order click to a level that will help the middle order capitalize and generate similar kind of performances that had taken them to the title last year.

With a new captain this time around, it’s a tall ask against this excellent GT unit, but the re4ality is that KKR does have a do-or-die situation at the moment. If not now, then it’s never for KKR, not for this season definitely, as the hopes of making to the playoffs will certainly be taken away from the mighty men in purple.