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Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) mentor Dwayne Bravo has come out in support of Andre Russell after the team’s 39-run loss to Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2025 clash on Monday.
Despite scoring just 21 off 15 balls — only his second score in double digits this season — Russell once again failed to anchor the chase in KKR’s pursuit of GT’s 199-run total.
Top-Order Troubles Taking a Toll
Post-match, Bravo fielded questions about Russell’s form, particularly his vulnerability against spinners this season. But the former all-rounder emphasized that the issue runs deeper than just one player.
“Andre Russell is an experienced and successful player. Yes, in a couple of games, the leg-spinners got him out. But I don’t think we are batting well as a team. That is the reality. Russell is not the only one struggling. As a group, we have to ensure players are backed. We need to keep preparing well. IPL is a tough tournament. If you don’t start well, batters can go into a period where they lose confidence,” said Bravo.
Bravo highlighted the repeated failures of KKR’s top-order, which he believes is placing unnecessary pressure on their finishers.
“Not every team has leg-spinners and today he was up against a quality spinner like Rashid Khan. When Russell walks in to bat, every time the run rate is at 14 or 15 runs per over. Work needs to be done at the top to give him a chance to finish off games like he has been doing all these years for KKR. Yes, leg-spinners got him out a few times, but I don’t think that is a big concern. We just need to bat better (at the top) to allow our finishers the chance to finish games,” Bravo added.
Rahane Admits Batting Unit Isn’t Delivering
Captain Ajinkya Rahane, who led with a composed half-century — his third of the season — didn’t mince words about the team’s shortcomings either.
“When you are chasing a big target, you expect a good start with your opening batters; that’s what we are looking to get better as a batting unit,” he said.
Rahane, however, praised the bowling attack, saying the bowlers are improving consistently despite the team’s overall struggles.
“No complaints with our bowlers, I thought bowlers are doing a really good job. Game by game, they are improving a lot,” he added.
Middle Overs a Key Concern
The KKR skipper acknowledged the team’s inability to control the game during the middle overs as a recurring issue this season.
“We know these conditions really well, [but] we need to bat properly, we need to bat well in the middle overs, that’s what we are struggling [with] as a batting unit,” Rahane said.
With the league heating up and playoffs approaching, KKR’s top order has clearly become a talking point within the camp. Bravo’s blunt assessment and Rahane’s frank comments signal that the pressure is mounting — and the answers must come quickly.
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