New Delhi [India], April 12: Former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar praised the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for correcting their past errors and showing signs of strategic evolution in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Bangar highlighted how the team learned from their previous mistake of holding back Rinku Singh and made a bold move by promoting him to number 4 in their recent clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
In earlier games, Singh had been batting lower down the order, around No. 6 or 7, including in their match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), where his late entry raised questions. However, KKR rectified that strategy in their game against CSK by sending Singh in earlier—an adjustment Bangar believes signals a team that is learning and adapting.
“They picked the right squad. They were very circumspect of the fact that the mistake they did in the previous game of delaying Rinku Singh—they promoted him to No. 4 against CSK. So they clearly are understanding what their mistakes have been,” Bangar stated.
Bangar also noted that the franchise is continuously tweaking its approach based on match outcomes. He cited KKR’s decision to initially include Angkrish in the playing XI and later bench him as a calculated and thoughtful move.
“They sensed that they had taken the right call to have him on the bench when they were batting first. So they are a team which is slowly and steadily trying to learn from the mistakes that they are making and what needs to be done; they are trying to fill those boxes on the go,” Bangar added.
KKR’s shift in mindset was further reflected in their dominant performance against CSK. Star all-rounder Sunil Narine delivered a match-winning display, while spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali helped restrict CSK to just 103/9 in 20 overs at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
In response, KKR made quick work of the chase, reaching 107/2 in just 10.1 overs. Rinku Singh (15*), fittingly, finished the match in style with a six. The victory marked KKR’s third of the season and significantly improved their Net Run Rate, propelling them to third place on the points table with three wins from six matches.