KKR Faces RR Without Sunil Narine Amid Injury Concerns

Guwahati, India — The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have suffered a significant setback as star all-rounder Sunil Narine will miss tonight’s matchup against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) due to illness. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and chose to bowl first at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, hoping to turn around their fortunes after a disappointing start to the IPL 2025 season.

Both teams are coming off defeats in their opening matches, with KKR losing to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by seven wickets and RR being bested by the Sunrisers Hyderabad by 44 runs. The pressure is on for both teams to find their footing and correct their course early in the tournament.

After the toss, Rahane spoke about the decision to bowl first, stating, “The wicket looks really good. If we bowl first, we’ll understand how the pitch behaves. Dew is a significant factor here, and we need to focus on staying positive and playing with intent.”

Bowling coach Bharat Arun expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back despite their initial setback. “We’re not too worried about our first game. There were positives to take and valuable lessons to learn,” he said. “Sports are about failing, but champions like Andre Russell are always eager to prove themselves. We hope he steps up in this game.”

In Narine’s absence, KKR management has elevated Moeen Ali into the playing XI, increasing the team’s reliance on their remaining key players, including Rahane and Russell. “Rinku Singh has also been in great form, and we are looking for a collective strong performance from everyone,” Arun added.

The Royals, meanwhile, will look to capitalize on their home advantage. Riyan Parag, appointed captain in light of Sanju Samson‘s injury, emphasized the need for his side to improve after their previous loss. “We had some positives to draw from our last performance, particularly in the middle order,” he noted in a pre-match briefing.

As the match commences, all eyes will be on key players from both teams to see who will emerge victorious in this crucial IPL clash.