Sourav Ganguly, former captain of the Indian cricket team, is not ready to make any predictions about who will win the IPL 2025, even though he thinks Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is a solid team. Speaking at Eden Gardens, he mentioned that it’s too early to say anything since the tournament is long and competitive. He pointed out that all teams are pretty balanced.
When asked about KKR’s spin bowling, Ganguly singled out Varun Chakravarthy, saying he thinks the 29-year-old is especially effective in T20 cricket. “Varun will bowl even better in this format. Kolkata Knight Riders is a strong team,” he added, just before the opening match between KKR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday.
Chakravarthy was a standout player during India’s ICC Champions Trophy win in 2025, taking nine wickets in three games. However, he admitted that the IPL poses different challenges than international cricket. Confidence is important, but every new tournament means starting from scratch. IPL is a whole different game, and I know what lies ahead, he said at the pre-match press conference.
With KKR having a strong spin attack, RCB’s coach Andy Flower acknowledged the threats from Sunil Narine and Chakravarthy. “Chakravarthy is in great form, and we know Narine’s capabilities from over the years. Playing at this level is all about challenging yourself against the best, which makes the IPL just as exciting as international cricket,” he commented during the press conference.
