The KKR’s initial aura of the defending champions since the start of the 2026 IPL season is fading before a single ball is bowled. Kolkata has always had energy filled with the “Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo” spirit.
However, very poor injury news and poor and very questionable tactical decisions made by KKR have resulted in Ravichandran Ashwin providing a very sobering assessment of this by saying, “No one is afraid of KKR anymore."
The "Hospital" Pace Attack: A Season in Jeopardy
Things have taken a turn for the worse, with Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman being the first to go down. But that was just the beginning. Now, Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana is struggling to get back on his feet, and there's no telling when he'll be ready to play again. And if that wasn't enough, last season's sensation Harshit Rana is also ruled out for this season.
He said, "After the auction, I said that KKR's bowling attack is quite strong. But Mustafizur is no more. Pathirana and Harshit are injured. Yes, they have signed Blessing Mujarabani. I am looking forward to seeing him. But with so many injuries, the team will fall behind at the beginning."
To top it all off, Akash Deep has just been added to the injury list, which was announced this Saturday. It's been a never-ending stream of bad news, with one player after another falling victim to injuries. The team must be feeling the pressure, wondering who's next and how they'll cope with all these absentees.
Also Read: KKR Injury Update: Akash Deep Ruled Out of IPL 2026; Top 5 Replacement Options
Can Narine and Varun Hold the Fort?
KKR's setup relied on the "Mystery Spin" pair of sunil Narine and varun Chakravarty. Probably, Ashwin thinks the time for mental pressure is ending. At Eden Gardens,a venue with short boundaries, the issue grows worse. Without a fast bowler to match the spinners, Ashwin says opponents will push aggressively from the first over.
He said, "The mystery of KKR's bowling has disappeared. Earlier, the batters had to prepare a lot before going against them. But Varun's form is not good. Narine also cannot bowl the same ball as before. Eden is a small ground. It is difficult for them to stop the batters there. I think this time the batters will play aggressive cricket against them from the beginning."
The most debatable point was the omission of Shreyas Iyer, who was instrumental in bringing KKR success in 2024 and helping build KKR as a potential force in the coming years, yet management made a mistake in letting him leave, which is now a source of pain for them.
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