Even before the start of the IPL 2025, KKR have a good headache, as far as the selection of the playing XI is concerned. For the opening slot, there are three players — skipper Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Narine and Quinton De Kock, who are the contenders for the two available places, and all three come with their plus points.
Sunil Narine & Ajinkya Rahane as KKR Openers?
Rahane had an exceptional Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he finished as the highest run-getter in the tournament, scoring 469 runs in 9 matches, at an average of 58. The strike-rate was up at 164, that included five fifties. Then comes in the dasher Sunil Narine, who scored 488 runs last season at an average of 34 and a strike-rate of 180. And then the South African de Kock, who in 107 matches as an opener in IPL has 3157 runs to his name.
Or Narine & Quinton De Kock?
The challenge is, if Rahane opens with de Kock, Narine misses out, who was instrumental in giving them explosive starts. If Rahane with Narine opens, then slotting in de Kock in the middle-order becomes tough.. If Narine opens with QDK, then rich form of Rahane can’t be capitalised on.
Rahane & De Kock Could be an Option Too
Here, the team management need to make sure that they persist with only one pair at the top, or it could lead to batting woes. While there can’t be any right or wrong choice, but perhaps, in this scenario, the option for them would be to open with Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine, and get Rahane in the middle-order.. only because the latter played in the middle-order for CSK last year.
There is still a few days for the team to decide on that combination, and a surprise pair could be thrown in the middle, but then one thing is for sure, Narine’s batting order shouldn’t be tinkered with in the tournament.
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