It’s a strange thing if you are a Kolkata Knight Riders fan, especially after the loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 2012, KKR started their season with two big defeats. That campaign started with an eight-wicket loss to Delhi, followed by a 22-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals. At that time, KKR had a strong batting line-up on paper with Brendon McCullum, Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee and the emerging Sunil Narine.

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Add to this the all-round presence of Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan, and you had a team that was just focused on cricket and not passion. But two defeats meant they needed to act fast and they did just that. In the following games, he took the bold decision of dropping McCullum, one of the finest players in T20 cricket, and included Manvinder Bisla. This was an era in which there was no influence and no option to bring one back once dropped.

The rest, as they say, is history. KKR performed sensationally, winning six of their next seven matches during the middle stage, and then defeated CSK to win the IPL title. Now, the season is only two games old, but the Kolkata team finds itself at a crossroads.

While Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Finn Allen have impressed, the bowling has looked weak, and Cameron Green being just one batsman has disrupted their combination. The results have seen them losing momentum after an initial surge, Defeats to MI and SRH have exposed their flaws. Ajinkya Rahane gave a hint Changes after defeat on April 2But it seems like they’ll need to make some big calls.

An extra batsman but who?

With Cameron Green not bowling for KKR, Sunil Gavaskar said that they need to bring an extra batsman into the mix. While Green has been bought for a big sum, if he is not bowling, KKR needs someone who can strengthen the lower order.

“I think somewhere down the line he has to think in terms of the fact that if Cameron Green is not bowling for you, you have to pick another batsman there, because yes, I think we know he has scored 100s in the IPL. We know he can bat well, but his form was not good when he came there.”

“The last game he played in Australia, he scored 100 in a Shield game in a red-ball game, but that’s where they have to look at their Nos. 6 and 7. Yes, Cameron Green is at 4, but I think 5 and 6 are also an issue where I think they are struggling. Rinku is there, but apart from that, who do they have?” Gavaskar told the broadcasters.

After Rinku, KKR is really missing the presence of Andre Russell. While the responsibility has been put on Ramandeep Singh and Anukul Roy, there is a need for a power-hitting option. The obvious choice is Rovman Powell, who enjoyed sensational performances in the T20s, scoring 269 runs in 11 matches. But that would mean sacrificing one of their bowling options – Sunil Narine or Blessing Muzarabani – which would create another big issue.

Another option could be to bring in Tim Seifert, who shares a strong bond with Finn Allen from their time with New Zealand, and slot him into the top order. But once again the question remains, who paves the way?

An exciting and possibly risky option comes in the form of Delhi Premier League import Tejashwi Singh. During the 2025 season of the DPL, he scored 339 runs in just 10 innings, striking over 190 and finishing as the second-highest six-scorer of the tournament with 29 maximum sixes. His standout moment came in a rain-interrupted chase of the target, where he scored 69 runs in just 21 balls, including a record-breaking half-century in 12 balls – the fastest in DPL history. Now, if KKR can bring him in as a replacement for Anukul or Ramandeep, things could get better at the No. 6 and 7 spots.

Narayan back opening?

Narine provided some spice in the game against SRH, hitting a few sixes off his first two balls. He’s had openings in past seasons – one successful stint in 2024 and another that didn’t quite work out. If KKR continues on that path, it gives them an all-out attacking opening pair in Allen and Narine, who will certainly take precautions. But the point is that it will push Rahane to No. 3 and Raghuvanshi to No. 4.

This is a phase that KKR needs to manage carefully, as both players have a tendency to slow things down in the middle and put pressure on the rest. So for KKR, their next encounter will be against their former captain Shreyas Iyer and Punjab Kings on April 6 at home. Until then, they need to find a solution. A third loss in as many games could end their season early. Some bold calls need to be made by the men in purple and gold.

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