Ashwin says KKR bowling has lost its fear factor and the novelty is gone
Ravichandran Ashwin has never been one to sugarcoat things, and his assessment of KKR's bowling heading into IPL 2026 was blunt. The three-time champions, Ashwin says, no longer carry the same aura with the ball.
"I don't think oppositions will be worried after looking at KKR's bowling attack," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. "The mystery factory, the novelty factor, the fear, that particular facet, would have gone."
Varun and Narine under the microscope
The core of the argument centres on spin. Varun Chakravarthy, once a near-impossible puzzle, has been decoded. Batters have spent enough time studying his hand, his variations, his release point. Ashwin believes Chakravarthy needs to evolve or risk becoming predictable.
"Varun is at a stage in his career where he has to find answers. But it is natural for every cricketer's progress. I think the novelty factor is out," Ashwin said.
Sunil Narine's decline adds to the problem. The veteran Trinidadian can no longer bowl his quicker ball because of concerns over his bowling action, and at Eden Gardens, one of the larger grounds on the IPL circuit, that makes him easier to attack.
Injuries have ripped through the pace unit
If the spin department has lost some bite, the pace stocks look worse. Mustafizur Rahman is unavailable. Harshit Rana has been ruled out for the season. Matheesha Pathirana is working through a rehab programme with Sri Lanka Cricket and will miss the early rounds. And in the latest blow, Akash Deep was also ruled out, leaving KKR scrambling to fill the gaps.
Blessing Muzarabani, who left a PSL contract to join KKR, offers some hope. But Ashwin is not convinced it is enough. "KKR have the blessing of Blessing Muzarabani. He has worked hard and I am excited to see him, but with all the injuries plaguing them, somebody has to do the heavy lifting. I can't see anyone who can do that."
The Iyer factor
Ashwin also touched on what KKR lost when they let Shreyas Iyer go. Iyer captained the franchise to their third IPL title in 2024, and after moving to Punjab Kings he led them to their first final in 11 years last season.
"Korbo is there, Lorbo is there, but I don't think Jeetbo is there," Ashwin said, referencing the club's famous Bengali rally cry. "Shreyas Iyer's captaincy history is compelling. KKR's loss ended up being PBKS' gain."
The Cameron Green question
There is also the matter of Cameron Green. With Cricket Australia restricting his bowling workload to protect him for Test cricket, Green may not deliver the all-round package KKR paid for. Ashwin suggested that franchises should have the right to deduct money from a player's contract if he cannot fulfil his bowling commitments.
"Imagine if you are Shah Rukh Khan, and you have paid 25 crores for a player. But then he comes and says, 'Sir, I will bowl only one over today.' How will you feel?" Ashwin asked.
It is a fair point. IPL owners are paying full price for players whose international boards then decide how much cricket they can actually play. Until there is a mechanism to account for that, the frustration will keep building.
