Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan recently shared his insights on Kolkata Knight Riders’ struggles in IPL 2025 following their victorious campaign in 2024. Pathan pointed out that one of the main reasons for their downfall was the absence of star fast bowler Mitchell Starc.
Starc had become the most expensive player in IPL history after being bought by KKR for ₹24.75 crore ahead of the 2024 season. While he had a slow start, Starc elevated his game in the playoffs, delivering match-winning performances in Qualifier 1 and the final. Despite his heroics, KKR decided to release him, a move that backfired as they failed to make it to the playoffs in the subsequent season.
In a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, Pathan noted that KKR had hoped either Spencer Johnson or Anrich Nortje could fill Starc’s shoes, but they fell short. He also predicted that Venkatesh Iyer might be released before the upcoming auction due to his underwhelming performance compared to his hefty price tag of ₹23.75 crore.
Iyer managed just 142 runs in 11 games in the 2025 season at an average of 20.28 and a strike rate of 139.21. With Ajinkya Rahane leading the side, KKR finished eighth in the standings with only five wins in 14 matches.
Shifting focus to Delhi Capitals, Pathan suggested potential releases including Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, and T Natarajan. He highlighted that Delhi had a strong start but faltered towards the end of the tournament, ultimately finishing fifth in the table. Pathan emphasized that age might catch up with Du Plessis, and Sharma’s performance for Delhi didn’t match his form for Gujarat.
Despite the potential releases, Pathan believed that Delhi still had a solid team and could make a deep run in IPL 2026. He mentioned the importance of players like Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and KL Rahul in the squad. Pathan also mentioned that if Starc had returned to Delhi, it would have been a significant boost to their bowling attack.
In conclusion, Pathan highlighted that both KKR and Delhi Capitals had areas to address ahead of the upcoming IPL season, with strategic decisions to be made during the auction to strengthen their squads. As the anticipation builds for IPL 2026, cricket fans eagerly await to see how these franchises reshape their teams for the next chapter of the tournament.
