Why IPL batters still struggle against KKR’s THIS star? Aakash Chopra explains

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) stayed alive in the IPL 2026 playoff race with an important win over Mumbai Indians at Eden Gardens, and once again, Sunil Narine played a massive role in the victory. Former India batter Aakash Chopra was full of praise for the veteran spinner after another controlled and match-changing spell under pressure.

On a difficult surface where batting never looked easy, Narine used all his experience brilliantly and helped KKR restrict Mumbai Indians to a below-par total in a must-win clash.

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

Aakash Chopra praises Sunil Narine’s control and accuracy

Sunil Narine finished with impressive figures of 1 for 13 in his four overs and dismissed Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya at a crucial moment of the innings.

Aakash Chopra said Narine’s biggest strength is the consistency in his lengths and the way he prevents batters from attacking freely.

According to Chopra, Narine rarely allows batters to settle because of the pace and trajectory he bowls with.

“He’s brilliant. These are the conditions he relishes, but he’s equally effective everywhere he’s played this season and in seasons gone by. His length is impeccable. You can’t hit him off the back foot. He’s flat and slightly quicker through the air, where you can’t really step down. You won’t see him getting clobbered by people stepping down or hitting off the back foot. He bowls in that five-to-seven-metre mark every time, a very difficult trajectory to pick,” Chopra told JioStar.

Also Read: Bad news for CSK fans as MS Dhoni misses must-win Gujarat Titans clash in IPL 2026

Narine and Varun Chakravarthy squeeze Mumbai after rain break

Mumbai Indians were already struggling at 57/4 before rain briefly interrupted the innings at Eden Gardens.

After play resumed, KKR’s spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy completely tightened the game in the middle overs and never allowed Mumbai to rebuild momentum.

Their accurate bowling on the slow pitch forced MI batters into mistakes and kept the scoring rate under control throughout the innings.

Chopra highlights Narine’s champion mentality

Aakash Chopra also pointed out one quality that separates Narine from most bowlers in T20 cricket.

The former India opener said even if Narine gets hit for a boundary, he immediately responds with another difficult delivery and rarely loses confidence during pressure situations.

“Then he’s got the variations and the accuracy. One thing that stands out is that when you hit him for a four or a six, he comes back with an equally effective delivery to follow up. And that’s the hallmark of a master,” he stated.

Manish Pandey and Rovman Powell guide KKR home

Chasing 148 on a difficult pitch was never going to be straightforward, but KKR handled the pressure better than Mumbai Indians.

Manish Pandey played a calm innings of 45, while Rovman Powell attacked at important moments and scored 40 to help Kolkata complete the chase with four wickets remaining.

The victory kept KKR mathematically alive in the IPL 2026 playoff race heading into their final league-stage match.

Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings and playoff race

Aakash Chopra also spoke about the playoff battle involving Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.

He said Punjab are likely to continue playing aggressive cricket in their final league game against Lucknow Super Giants because net run rate could still become important.

“It’s not going to be easy, but they would want to fight and come back into the tournament. You get to 15 points, you improve your net run rate, even if it’s ever so slightly. And they play that aggressive brand of cricket,” Chopra said.

Chopra added that several teams are now depending on Rajasthan Royals losing their final game to keep their qualification hopes alive.

“If it were up to them, they would go hammer and tongs and get that net run rate as high as possible. They just need to win the last game, but again, we’ve been saying that for the last six games.

“Of course, they’ll also have to hope that Rajasthan lose. Punjab, KKR, or even CSK need Rajasthan to lose that last one for their chances to even be entertained,” he noted.