IPL 2025: “Learning from Narine and Varun”: Moeen Ali Praises KKR Spin Duo

Moeen Ali hails Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy’s brilliance as KKR dismantle CSK in style at Chepauk, climbing to third spot on the IPL 2025 table with a commanding eight-wicket victory

Chennai, April 12: Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) off-spinner Moeen Ali heaped praise on fellow spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy following their dominant performances in the side’s emphatic eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025 at Chepauk on Friday.

Sunil Narine starred with both bat and ball, finishing with stunning figures of 3/13 in his four overs before launching a brutal assault during the chase — scoring 44 off just 18 balls with five sixes and two fours. Narine’s all-round brilliance earned him the Player of the Match award as KKR chased down the modest 104-run target in just 10.1 overs, finishing at 107/2.

Varun Chakravarthy also chipped in with a crucial spell, taking 2/22 in his four overs, removing Vijay Shankar and Deepak Hooda to ensure CSK’s middle-order collapse.

Speaking after the match, Moeen Ali — who himself delivered a tidy spell of 1/20 — praised the KKR spin duo for their consistency and craft:
“They (Narine and Varun) are amazing spinners, and they have been for a while now, especially Sunil. If I can bowl a couple of overs up top and set them up in the middle where they are quite hard to hit, I am learning from them and trying to keep up,” Moeen said.

Reflecting on his own bowling, he added, “I try not to bowl too quickly — just give it time to spin. Sometimes it skids, sometimes it turns. You don’t need to spin every ball — just one is enough to plant doubt in the batter’s mind.”

Moeen also appreciated the support from his teammates, notably Rinku Singh’s diving stop that boosted his confidence.

With this comprehensive win, KKR moved to third on the points table with three victories in six games. Meanwhile, CSK slipped further down, now placed ninth after suffering their fifth consecutive defeat — a worrying trend for the five-time champions.