IPL 2025: Anil Kumble Urges KKR to Promote Venkatesh Iyer in Batting Order for Better Impact

April 27, 2025: India’s legendary spinner, Anil Kumble, has weighed in on Kolkata Knight Riders’ ongoing struggles in IPL 2025, particularly with vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer’s lack of form. Kumble believes that it’s time for the defending champions to move their star all-rounder up in the batting order to address his ongoing dry spell with the bat.

Despite having seven points from nine fixtures, Kolkata is on the brink of seeing their title defense end in the group stages. In a bid to find the right mix and regain momentum, KKR has been making changes to their squad, including the dropping and re-positioning of key players. One such move Kumble feels the team needs to make is to give Venkatesh Iyer a chance to open the batting.

Iyer, who was once a dynamo at the top of the order in IPL 2024, has now found himself struggling in the middle order. His shift from an explosive powerplay batsman to a player at No. 4 or No. 5 hasn’t yielded the same success. In IPL 2025, Iyer has managed just 135 runs at an average of 22.50, with a strike rate of 139.17. His best knock this season, a quickfire 60 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, remains his only substantial performance.

Kumble, while analyzing KKR’s tactics, highlighted how the team could benefit from utilizing Iyer’s natural game. “They had an opportunity in this game to move Venky right up the order,” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “Open the batting with Sunil Narine and then bring in an Indian wicketkeeper. He needs that pace on the ball. In the powerplay, he has the freedom to play his natural game, hitting over the top. He’s done it in the past, that’s how he got KKR back into the playoffs when they were down and out in Dubai,” Kumble added, referencing Iyer’s past success when batting at the top.

With Kolkata struggling, particularly with their batting lineup, Kumble suggested that giving Iyer a chance at the top could be the spark they need to ignite their title defense. “If you look back at their Championship side last year versus this year, it’s just that their players are underperforming. It’s not that the personnel have changed that drastically,” Kumble continued. “They have Quinton de Kock instead of Phil Salt, and de Kock is equally destructive. Sunil Narine and Ajinkya Rahane have both played well. The change is not personnel; it’s about players stepping up to the mark.”

The team’s recent changes also saw Chetan Sakariya come in as an injury replacement for Umran Malik, and Rovman Powell make his debut for KKR. Unfortunately, the rainstorm that washed out the game against Punjab Kings halted any chance of Powell making an impact, while Sakariya’s bowling was ineffective, going wicketless for 39 runs in his three overs.

As the Knight Riders try to get their campaign back on track, Kumble feels that KKR’s squad, despite their underperformance, still has the potential to turn things around. “In terms of quality and ability, KKR have it in them. They just need to do something to get all those points,” Kumble concluded.

With their title defense hanging in the balance, KKR will be hoping that a change in strategy—starting with moving Iyer up the order—might just be the turning point they need to kick-start their season.