‘That Will Be A Question’: Former India Player Gives Ultimatum to KKR Star Ahead of IPL 2025 Clash vs Rajasthan Royals

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has raised a question mark regarding Quinton de Kock’s place in the playing XI as an opener of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In the tournament opener of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, he went back to the pavilion after hitting one boundary in five balls against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

The former player opined on his YouTube channel that it will be a “big aspect” to see how much time the KKR management will stick with the South African.

“That will be the two or three big aspects for them? One will be opening because last year’s success was built on this foundation. So Quinton de Kock with Sunil Narine. The captain and coaching staff have changed here. Gautam (Gambhir) is not there and Chandrakant Pandit ji is managing the team. So how much patience will they keep with Quinton de Kock? That will be a question”, he stated.

Chopra also emphasised Sunil Narine’s form in the current season. If he could replicate his last year’s heroics in KKR’s title-winning run, then “half of this team’s story will be set”, believes the former KKR player.

“Considering the kind of explosive player Sunil Narine is, the question is always there whether he can play the same way as he did last year. I am looking very closely at their opening combination. Half of this team’s story will be set if the opening combination is set. So that is an important one”, he added.

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KKR’s middle-order concerns

Apart from the team’s opening combination, the player-turned-commentator also discussed the middle-order collapse against RCB. Though the team got a fabulous start to their innings by the Rahane-Narire pair and reached 145 in 15 overs, the middle order which includes Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh and Andre Russell, could not take the total above 200. The KKR batters only managed to score 30 from the last five overs.

“The second thing I am seeing from KKR’s point of view is that the middle order got absolutely flattened. You had scored 100 runs in 10 overs and should have gone till 200-225, and you reached 175 with great difficulty. This is not a batting order like that”, he said in the video.

He also advised the KKR players to play a smashing brand of cricket and use their resources fully as they have the “depth”, “variety” and “power” in their strong batting lineup.

“If you have so much depth, variety, and power in batting, then come to the fore, my friend. Absolutely smash them to bits. They will be hurt for sure as they were humbled at home”, Chopra concluded.

The Kolkata Knight Riders will lock horns with the Rajasthan Royals led by Riyan Parag at the Barsapara stadium, Guwahati tonight.

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