‘KKR made smart choices, but this team hasn’t peaked yet’

Delhi Capitals (DC) squandered a chance to get into the top two of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 points table on Tuesday, April 29, as they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

The Knight Riders posted a commendable total of 204/9 in their 20 overs after being asked to bat first. In reply, Fad du Plessis played a fine hand as his 62 off 45 balls kept Delhi in the hunt. Axar Patel and Vipraj Nigam played quickfire knocks, but it wasn’t enough to take DC over the line as the home side lost the match by 14 runs. Sunil Narine was the pick of the bowlers for KKR, picking up three wickets at the expense of 29 runs in four overs.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra said that other batters had to offer more support to du Plessis so that Delhi could take the game deeper. The cricketer-turned-expert praised KKR’s move to give Anukul Roy the new ball. The Jharkhand all-rounder bowled economically and also took the wicket of the in-form Abishek Porel.

“Delhi Capitals had their chances to seal the deal, but it wasn’t just about Faf du Plessis. Someone else had to bat alongside him and take the game deep to build pressure. They didn’t start well. The move by KKR to give Anukul Roy the new ball worked brilliantly. Karun Nair hasn’t made the most of the second chance that cricket has given him. This was a kind of run chase where the eight overs from Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy had to be negotiated,” Chopra said on JioHotstar.

“I think KL Rahul’s run-out was absolutely critical. After that, it was their last opportunity. When Tristan Stubbs didn’t contribute, it felt like Delhi was going to fall short,” he added.

The 47-year-old noted that KKR should have posted 240 runs with the firepower they have in their batting order. He also opined that Harshit Rana, who recently won the Champions Trophy with the Indian team, would have to step up with the ball, especially because the defending champions are relying on their domestic pacers.

“Varun Chakravarthy wasn’t at his best, but KKR made smart choices — Anukul Roy bowled four overs for just 27 runs and took a wicket. Sunil Narine was absolutely outstanding; he won them the game single-handedly with the ball. That said, this KKR team hasn’t peaked yet. Scoring 204 is great, but with the kind of batting depth they have, they could be getting to 240. In the bowling department, Harshit Rana needs to step up. They’ve invested a lot in him, and if they’re not going to play an overseas fast bowler, they need more from their Indian pacers. Let’s not forget, he’s an ICC trophy winner — he’s not a newcomer anymore.”

KL Rahul’s run-out was the turning point: Aakash Chopra

Chopra said that KL Rahul getting run-out by Narine helped KKR get back into the game. The mystery spinner also accounted for important wickets, pegging the Capitals back considerably. 

“First, he batted brilliantly, and then he bowled. But let’s not forget — that KL Rahul run-out was a direct hit from Sunil Narine. I honestly don’t remember the last time he affected a direct-hit run-out. That was the turning point. Delhi still had a chance at that moment, but the momentum shifted completely once Narine started taking wickets. Especially since Varun Chakravarthy wasn’t at his best — he was leaking runs and lacked the confidence to bowl slower. That’s when it became imperative for Narine to deliver, and he did.”

Get every cricket updates! Follow Us: