‘Not even one bowler who…’: Former India cricketer on KKR’s second IPL 2026 defeat
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Not even one bowler who…’: Former India cricketer on KKR’s second IPL 2026 defeat")
Kolkata Knight Riders' Varun Chakravarthy celebrates with teammates Photograph: (AFP)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will next face Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the iconic Eden Gardens on Monday (Apr 6).
Indian legend Ravichandran Ashwin strongly criticised Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) following their heavy 65-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday (Apr 2). Chasing a huge total of 227, KKR were bowled out for 161 in just 16 overs. Reflecting on their performance, Ashwin highlighted a major concern, saying the biggest issue is their bowling, as the team doesn’t have even one bowler they can trust to deliver a full four overs effectively.
"KKR are going to have a lot of problems this season. Forget about their batting bowling and all of that. The way they played this game and the last game, I think that they don't have one bowler who they can bank on for four overs. Many times you have one or two weak links whom you look to support, but you don't have even one bowler who can guarantee you four overs," said Ashwin on 'Ash ki Baat'.
Ashwin also noted that Varun Chakaravarthy appears to be low on confidence, conceding too many runs without picking up wickets. The 39-year-old advised him to work on his practice methods, try new approaches and focus on improving his skills to get through this phase.
"What happens with a bowler, when they get hit a lot, this is a time for Varun that he has never seen before. This is a massive blow for him. When I look at him, I feel his confidence is very low. If you are under so much pressure, there are methods to improve your practice. I feel he needs to take some time. He has to increase his hand speed and try all this in the nets. You cannot just go to the nets and do spot bowling on your own. This stage comes to everyone, where bowlers will pick you easily and even score runs. The game is pushing you to find a method and move forward. He will have to find answers," he explained.
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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will next face Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the iconic Eden Gardens on Monday (Apr 6).
