Former Indian player Ravichandran Ashwin Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made a bold claim regarding their spinners ahead of the start of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The former player-turned-expert believes that the mystique associated with players like Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy is starting to go away, allowing batsmen to score freely against them.
As the game has evolved, batsmen have become more comfortable facing spin pairs. Ashwin said the level at which both the spinners find themselves makes it difficult for them to dictate proceedings.
Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “I don't think the opposition will be worried looking at KKR's bowling attack. I think the mystery factory, the novelty factor and the fear, that special aspect, would have gone. Earlier, batsmen would go into the analyst's room, watch the bowler's arm, or just look to take a run.”
Chakraborty's form in the IPL is worrying after a poor performance in the T20 World Cup, where he conceded more than nine runs per over. On the other hand, Narine has had to make changes in his bowling due to question marks on his bowling action.
Ashwin said, “Varun is at a stage in his career where he has to find answers. But, this is natural for every cricketer to progress and his career. I think the novelty factor has worn off.”
“Even Sunil Narine can't bowl fast because of his action anymore. Eden Garden is a smaller ground, so now it becomes easier for the opposition to say, 'Hey, you know what, there's a team here that isn't going to scare me, so we should go after them,'” he said.
Despite their recent issues, both Chakravarthy and Narine remain KKR's primary bowlers ahead of the new IPL season. Last time this experienced pair had taken 29 wickets. Narine bowled at an excellent economy rate of just 6.28, while Chakravarthy gave away runs at a rate of just over 7.50 runs per over.
KKR has been a spin-dominant team for a long time and their success in the 2026 IPL season will largely depend on the pitches they get at Eden Gardens.
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