From 11 wins in 16 games in 2024 to five wins in 14 in 2025, Kolkata Knight Riders went on a downward spiral like never before. The biggest proof of their rusty performance is skipper Ajinkya Rahane. “It's just that for us as a team, three-four guys were out of form. Where we faltered was at the batting end. As a batting unit, collectively, we couldn't do well,” Rahane was quoted as saying in a post-match interview.
That was Ajinkya Rahane’s understanding of the purple-and-gold brigade.
Here’s what we think went wrong with SRK’s chosen men:
No Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir got trolled despite last season’s trophy win. After Gambhir left for the Indian side as head coach, it exposed how Chandrakant Pandit couldn’t handle big egos in the dressing room. In 2024 under Gambhir, there were bigger egos including the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Mitchell Starc and Phil Salt but it was always a camp under control. Gambhir was the glue that held KKR together.
Going for the wrong Iyer
At the IPL auction, KKR bought Venkatesh Iyer for a whooping 23.75 crores. That was the most they spent on a player at any mega auction. The returns? KKR played Venkatesh Iyer in 11 games where he batted seven times and scored just 142 runs, at an average of 20.26. What about the other Iyer? The one they thought was too expensive? Punjab Kings bought him for 26.75 crores and they are now in the IPL playoffs for the first time since 2014. Shreyas Iyer has become the first captain to lead three different teams to the play offs, that too on the back of a healthy season himself. 488 runs in 13 matches at an average of 48.80. It’s clear that KKR banked on the wrong Iyer.
Wrong auction strategy
When Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer were available, KKR chose to wait for Venkatesh Iyer. Apart from that, they lost out on two overseas players who contributed largely to the title run in 2024. With Phil Salt and Mitchell Starc gone, the replacements were hardly anything that mattered. Quinton de Kock has had what can be called his worst IPL season ever. What about Starc’s replacements? Wiley Australian quick Spencer Johnson – being groomed the Starc way – was another bad miss.
Lackluster performance by foreign veterans
KKR have banked on two Windies stars for over a decade now. Sunil Narine since 2012 and Andre Russell since 2014. These two play for the Knight Riders franchisees across the globe, not just KKR. But how much can you expect from two 37-year-olds whose tricks are now popular. In 2024, KKR had four solid foreign players but in 2025 they couldn’t bag the right candidates despite rigorous alterations. Narine and Russell are past their prime, never mind the occasional flash in the pan.
Coaching department in splits
Have you ever seen a coach joining a team in the middle of an IPL season? Well, KKR thought it was a good idea to hire Abhishek Nayar as assistant coach. Player replacements aren’t new and will always exist, but a change in the coaching staff mid-season means there is something wrong in the dressing room. Some KKR fans hoped that Chandrakant Pandit would get the sack and it might just happen. Don’t be surprised if you see Abhishek Nayar as head coach of KKR next season.