IPL 2025: Should Shah Rukh Khan do a Sanjiv Goenka for Kolkata Knight Riders?

Just one win from three matches – This isn’t the start defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were hoping for in the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Having lost the season opener to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), KKR got their first points against Rajasthan Royals before slumping to their second loss against Mumbai Indians in an away game.

KKR might have lost the services of IPL 2024 title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer and mentor Gautam Gambhir, but they Purple and Gold have assembled a great team. While the core remained the same, the likes of Quinton de Kock, Dwayne Bravo (as mentor), Ajinkya Rahane have added a new dimension to the side.

Although one can debate its still early days in IPL, but there is a feeling that the team needs Shah Rukh Khan – one of the pillars of the second-most successful franchise in the world’s richest league. The 59-year-old doesn’t need to be on the field to cheer his boys just like Lucknow Super Giants boss Sanjiv Goenka up but his few words can do the magic.

Being one of the co-owners of the three-time champions, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan isn’t someone who interferes in how a franchise should run. Instead, he gives the management a free hand.

SRK doesn’t act like a boss. Rather he would be an elder brother to each and every player in the team, something all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer had spoken about in the previous season.

“It speaks volumes of the man he (SRK) is. We have all seen him on the screen, mesmerising people with his aura, not just be an owner of the franchise but an elder brother figure for us, to guide us constantly,” Vemkatesh Iyer had said in a video posted by KKR.

Why KKR needs SRK’s motivation?

Coming to Mumbai from Delhi, Shah Rukh Khan has seen many ups and downs in his life. Yet, he came out with flying colours all the time and made a place for himself in everyone’s hearts at home and abroad. Remember his words from the film Chak de India? Those 70 minutes in the film is like three hours on the field for KKR.

Forget about pitch

Lately, the pitch debate has added a fresh twist in the ongoing IPL. But does it really matter? After all these are professional cricketers and should adapt to whatever conditions that are on offer. With 70000-strong crowd cheering for KKR at the Eden Gardens, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side will be no short of ‘home advantage’ against SRH.

What KKR need to mend?

While Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine have performed in patches, the KKR middle-order needs to lift their socks. The likes of Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell have not performed to their potential and that is something the management needs to look after.

As far as the bowling department is concerned, Spencer Johnson looked off colour while South African import Anrich Nortje is yet to attain match fitness. Even Harshit Rana, who played a huge role last year, claimed just two wickets in three wickets so far.

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