IPL 2025: Have Kolkata Knight Riders Finally Resolved The Rinku Singh Conundrum?

Kolkata Knight Riders secured their third IPL victory against the Chennai Super Kings to move to the third position in the IPL table. The defending champions produced a clinical display to inflict a fourth straight loss on MS Dhoni 's CSK.

KKR Inflicted A Humiliating Loss On CSK

Right from the very start, KKR took control of the match. Varun Chakaravarthy,  Sunil Narine and Moeen Ali combined together to choke the CSK batters as they sharted six wickets between them. The return of MS Dhoni as the CSK captain didn't have a lasting effect as CSK succumbed to their lowest total at home since the inception of the IPL. KKR didn't have any disruption in the second innings and chased down the target, having lost just two wickets.

Also Read: 'We Did Not Have Enough Runs': Captain MS Dhoni Points Out Reason Behind CSK's Humiliating Defeat Against KKR In IPL 2025

KKR Finally Found A Solution For Rinku Singh

One problem which KKR have endured is fixing their batting order. Before the CSK match, Rinku had very few balls to face, and he managed to utilise his potential despite his limited opportunities. The 27-year-old played a blinder against Sunrisers Hyderabad at number six but was demoted to number eight when the defending champions hosted Lucknow Super Giants in the next game.

Also Read: IPL 2025: KKR Deepen CSK's Woes, Thrash Five-Time Champions At Their Fortress To Secure 3rd Win

The decision backfired, and despite Rinku's last gasp hitting, the visitors snatched a 4-run victory in Kolkata.

But the KKR management perhaps understood their fault and promoted Rinku up in the batting order against CSK. Sanjay Bangar praised KKR for finally understanding Rinku's worth in the batting order.

As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, he said, “They picked the right squad. They were very circumspect of the fact that the mistake that they did in the previous game [against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)] of delaying Rinku Singh – wait till the very end. They promoted him to No. 4 [against CSK]. So they clearly are understanding what their mistakes have been.”

KKR still have enough matches to make room for a place in the IPL playoff. The defending champions looked convincing against CSK and will face the high-flying Punjab Kings in the next game.