Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Chandrakant Pandit has provided a major fitness update on Sunil Narine before the match against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. He assured that the all-rounder is fit and will play in the next match. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to play Mumbai Indians (MI) in their next match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The match is to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday (31st March).
Ahead of the match, Kolkata Knight Riders were contemplating the fitness of all-rounder Sunil Narine. This was due to the fact that the left-hander sat out the previous game against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati after feeling unwell, with Moeen Ali stepping in as his replacement.
However, in a significant boost for the team, Sunil Narine was spotted training with the squad on Saturday (29th March). The Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder was seen working on his range hitting in the nets, painting a strong picture that he could be available for the clash against Mumbai Indians. This speculation was later confirmed by Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Chandrakant Pandit, who assured that the all-rounder is fit and ready to play.
“Sunil Narine is 100 percent fit and has fully recovered for the game against Mumbai Indians.” Chandrakant Pandit said.
🚨 Sunil Narine is 100 percent fit and recovered for the game against Mumbai Indians: KKR coach Chandrakant Pandit pic.twitter.com/juVZ1ISTV4
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) March 30, 2025
Coach Pandit Addresses Eden Gardens Pitch Debate
Narine is expected to slot straight into the XI for the clash against Mumbai Indians, likely taking Moeen Ali’s place in the lineup. The former England all-rounder had a decent outing with the ball in the previous game but will now have to make way for Narine. The West Indian all-rounder featured in Kolkata Knight Riders’ opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where he made a significant impact. He played a crucial knock of 44 runs off 26 balls while opening the batting and later contributed with the ball, returning figures of 1/27 in his four-over spell.
Chandrakant Pandit also addressed the pitch concerns at Eden Gardens, stating that as a coach and team management, their focus remains on playing on the surface provided. He acknowledged that pitch conditions are under the curator’s control but emphasized that his priority is the upcoming game. Pandit stressed the importance of staying focused on the next match rather than dwelling on external factors.
