Former cricketer Faf du Plessis has weighed in on what could shape Kolkata Knight Ridersโ fortunes in IPL 2026. He pointed firmly toward conditions at their home ground, Eden Gardens and believes the franchise holds a decisive advantage through its spin resources, provided the surfaces are tailored accordingly.
Du Plessis highlighted the value of experienced spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, suggesting their influence could define KKRโs campaign if conditions are aligned with their strengths. In his view, failing to bring them into the game consistently would reduce one of the teamโs biggest advantages.
โIf I was part of the KKR team management, I would ask the groundsman at Eden Gardens to make the wicket spin-friendly. KKR are blessed to have two absolute cannons in Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine. They are two of the best T20 spinners in the game right now. Both Varun and Narine have to be in the game. If they play on surfaces where they are not in contention, then you are losing those two cannons and your superpower. Yes, they can bowl well on any wicket and trouble batters. But for KKR to be successful this IPL, Varun and Narine need to fire. The pitch should be prepared keeping those two players in mind,โ du Plessis said on JioHotstarโs Game Plan.
Meanwhile,. KKRโs record at home last season has raised concerns. The side managed only two wins at Eden Gardens, struggling to find consistency despite experimenting with pitch conditions. Initially, the slower tracks were used before a shift toward more batting-friendly wickets, yet results did not turn significantly in their favour.
Lakshmipathy Balaji wants Rahane at top order
A potential return to spin-heavy surfaces could also test the balance of the batting unit. Players such as Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Cameron Green are typically more comfortable on true pitches, which may create a tactical dilemma.
Within the squad, Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi offer composure but could face challenges in slower middle overs. Former India bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji has proposed a shift in the batting order to address this.
โI always feel that KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane should bat in the top order. He shouldnโt bat at anything lower than number three. He has done phenomenally well with CSK at number three and scored a lot of runs. So, him batting one down would be good for both him and KKR. Cameron Green can come out to bat at number four. That will give him time to settle and then start going after the bowlers. So, a top four of Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Ajinkya Rahane and Cameron Green is going to be the go-to one,โ he said.
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