'Mystery and fear factor is gone' - R Ashwin gives verdict on KKR's spin duo ahead of IPL 2026
Chakravarthy’s form heading into the IPL is worrisome following an underwhelming T20 World Cup where he conceded runs at more than nine runs per over.
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Former India player Ravichandran Ashwin has made a bold claim surrounding Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) spinners ahead of the start of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The former player-turned-expert believes that the mystery surrounding the likes of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy is beginning to fade away, allowing the batters to score freely against them.
As the game has evolved, batters have started to get more and more comfortable in facing the spin duo. Ashwin stated that the stage at which the two spinners find themselves makes it difficult for them to dictate the proceedings.
"I don’t think oppositions will be worried after looking at KKR’s bowling attack. I think the mystery factory, the novelty factor, and the fear, that particular facet, would have gone. Earlier, batters used to go to the analyst’s room, watch the bowler’s hand, or just look to take a single,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Chakravarthy’s form heading into the IPL is worrisome following an underwhelming T20 World Cup where he conceded runs at more than nine runs per over. Narine, on the other hand, has had to make tweaks to his bowling due to question marks surrounding his bowling action.
"Varun is at a stage in his career where he has to find answers. But, it is natural for every cricketer’s progress and his career. I think the novelty factor is out,” Ashwin said.
“Sunil Narine also cannot bowl the faster ball anymore, because of his action. Eden Gardens is a small ground, so now it becomes easy for the opposition to say, ‘Hey, you know what, here is a team that is not going to make me scared, so let us go after them’,” he added.
Despite their recent issues, both Chakravarthy and Narine remain KKR’s primary bowlers ahead of the new IPL season. The seasoned duo took 29 wickets amongst themselves last time around. Narine bowled with an excellent economy rate of just 6.28 while Chakravarthy conceded runs at just over 7.50 runs per over.
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KKR have been a spin-dominant side for the longest time and their success at the 2026 IPL season will depend a lot on the kind of pitches they get at the Eden Gardens.
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