What is going wrong for KKR in IPL 2026? Check details

The Indian Premier League 2026 is going from bad to worse for the three-time champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders. The team is currently the only side in the tournament still awaiting its first victory. So far, the team has played a total of five matches, losing four of them, while one match was washed out due to rain.

This team possessed the largest purse at the auction and successfully acquired star overseas players such as Cameron Green and Mustafizur Rahman; however, Mustafizur Rahman was released from the squad before the tournament due to political issues, while Cameron Green's performance in this IPL has been largely forgettable. Furthermore, the team has sorely felt the absence of their star fast bowler, Harshit Rana, who was ruled out of the tournament before it even began due to an injury. Meanwhile, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine were also forced to miss the previous match due to injuries.

When Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine made their return against the Chennai Super Kings, it seemed as though KKR's fortunes were about to turn in this match. Adhering to their established strategy, the team once again entrusted Sunil Narine with the responsibility of opening the innings; yet, despite this move, KKR failed to successfully chase down the target of 193 runs set by CSK.

In the match context, Chennai Super Kings amassed 192 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 20 overs. Wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson was the highest scorer for CSK, with 48 runs. While Dewald Brevis (41), Ayush Mhatre (38) and Sarfaraz Khan (23) made useful contributions. For KKR, Kartik Tyagi took the most 2 wickets. Sunil Narine and Anukul Roy also took 1 wicket each and went economically. Although Vaibhav Arora also got 1 wicket, he conceded 55 runs in 4 overs. Cameron Green also went expensive, conceding 30 runs in 2 overs. 

While chasing 193, Finn Allen’s poor form continues, and he went back to the pavilion after scoring just 1 run. Sunil Narine (24 off 17), Ajinkya Rahane (28 off 22) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (27 off 19) got starts, but no one converted their start into a big score or a match-winning knock. Rinku Singh and Cameron Green’s poor form continues. Ramandeep Singh and Rovman Powell scored 35 off 23 and 31 off 22, respectively, but this was not enough for the Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan's co-based franchise. For CSK, Noor Ahmad took the most 3 wickets, while Anshul Kamboj claimed 2 wickets. Khaleel Ahmed and Akeal Hossain each grabbed 1 wicket. Against the CSK spinners, KKR batters were constantly struggling and never looked in a position to chase the target. 

How can KKR change its fortunes?

KKR needs to stabilise its batting order. Promoting Sunil Narine back to the opening slot is a good move. However, KKR's middle order appears completely out of form. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi have both gotten off to good starts, yet neither has managed to convert those starts into substantial scores so far. Meanwhile, Rinku Singh and Cameron Green are struggling with poor form. Rovman Powell, too, has failed to handle the pressure and has not yet been able to shoulder the responsibility of finishing the innings. The KKR management had expected him to replicate the kind of batting prowess shown by Andre Russell, but Powell has, thus far, disappointed the KKR fans.

The team's bowling attack is certainly showing visible improvement match after match. Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine—who appeared quite expensive in the initial matches—certainly impressed with their bowling performance in the previous game. Kartik Tyagi and Anukul Roy have also provided excellent support to the spinners during the middle and death overs. However, Vaibhav Arora has been unable to take wickets during the Powerplay and has, moreover, proven to be expensive. Cameron Green has started bowling, but he still does not appear to be in his rhythm. KKR's bowling lineup will not only have to take wickets during the Powerplay but also keep a tight rein on the runs.

Kolkata Knight Riders are currently at the bottom of the table, with just 1 point. They have already lost 4 matches, and from here they need to win their upcoming matches; otherwise, the 3-time champions will be out of the playoff race soon. They will face the Gujarat Titans next on April 17 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. 

This is not the first time in the history of the IPL that a team has failed to win a single match in its opening five fixtures. This scenario previously occurred with MI in 2015; by adjusting their strategy, they ultimately succeeded in winning that very tournament. In fact, KKR itself witnessed a similar situation in 2021, a season in which the team went on to reach the final. Once again, KKR will have to replicate that performance.