Why Sunil Narine Did Not Play For KKR vs RR In IPL 2025?
Hey everyone, let's talk about the big question surrounding the IPL 2025 match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) – why was Sunil Narine missing from the KKR lineup? Fans were eager to see the star all-rounder in action, but he was notably absent. Well, here's what happened.
Ahead of the match at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bowl first. While announcing the playing XI, it was revealed that veteran all-rounder Moeen Ali had come into the squad, replacing Sunil Narine. The reason? Narine was reportedly unwell and unable to take the field for this crucial game. According to reports, this is the first time Narine has missed a game for KKR since the 2021 IPL season when he was left out against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai.
Rahane, while discussing his decision at the toss, emphasized the importance of playing fearless cricket in this high-intensity format. He mentioned that the pitch looked good, and with the dew factor likely to play a role, bowling first would give them a better understanding of the conditions. Despite their opening-match loss, Rahane remained optimistic, stating that T20 cricket is all about staying positive and playing with intent.
On the other side, Rajasthan Royals’ newly appointed skipper, Riyan Parag, was thrilled with the overwhelming support from the home crowd. He also confirmed that RR had made one change to their lineup, bringing in Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga in place of left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi. Parag expressed his pride in leading the team and praised the efforts of RR’s middle order and bowling unit in their previous game.
The playing XIs for the match were announced as follows:
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Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakaravarthy. Impact Substitutes: Anrich Nortje, Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, and Luvnith Sisodia.
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (captain), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, and Sandeep Sharma. Impact Substitutes: Kunal Singh Rathore, Shubham Dubey, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, and Kwena Maphaka.
It was an exciting game where KKR, despite missing Narine, put up a strong performance. Quinton de Kock’s stellar 97-run knock played a key role in leading KKR to an easy eight-wicket victory over RR. The defending champions bounced back in style, proving their depth in the squad.
While Narine’s absence was felt, KKR managed to make the most out of their situation, and Moeen Ali’s inclusion added balance to the team. Now, the big question remains – will Sunil Narine be fit for KKR’s next game? Fans will be eagerly waiting for updates on his condition as the tournament progresses.
Stay tuned for more IPL updates, and let’s see how KKR moves forward in the competition!
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