Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine is one of those rare bowlers who has remained consistently economical in T20 cricket over the years, turning himself into a huge asset for any team that he is a part of. While his international career was hindered because of problems with his action, Narine continues to be highly effective in T20 leagues around the world.

Born in Trinidad, Narine made his first-class debut for Trinidad and Tobago in 2009 after taking all 10 wickets in a trial game. He was known more for his batting in youth cricket, but started making an impact with his mystery spin as he graduated to the higher level, especially in the T20 format.

After a good showing in the Champions League in 2011, Narine got his maiden call-up for West Indies for the ODI tour of India. From there, he enjoyed a rapid rise and was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for USD 700,000 in the IPL 2012 auction, a massive increase on his base price of USD 50,000. The deal turned out to be a huge success and started a long-standing association between the player and franchise as Narine played a starring role in their maiden title triumph, picking up 24 wickets in the season. Soon after the tournament, Narine made his Test debut against England at Edgbaston. And then later that year, he won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup with the West Indies.

However, before his career could prosper further at the international level, his bowling action came under the scanner. After being reported several times, Narine was suspended from bowling after his action was found to be illegal in late 2015. He made a return after making some adjustments but never had a prolonged stint as he kept getting into trouble. The last of his sporadic appearances for West Indies came in 2019.

While his international career petered out, Narine remained a force in various T20 leagues around the world. He had already added another dimension as a cricketer when he started opening the batting as a powerplay dasher in the late 2010s. His bowling lost some sting with his remodeled action, but what didn't suffer was his economy rate. His all-round exploits were at the forefront of KKR's charge to the IPL title in 2024, where he became only the second player to score 450-plus runs and take more than 15 wickets in the same season.

In IPL 2025, Narine once again proved why he remains indispensable to KKR. While he couldn’t quite replicate the extraordinary highs of 2024, he still played a crucial role as a seasoned all-rounder. Opening the batting, he provided brisk starts in the powerplay, often setting the tone for the innings with cameos. With the ball, he continued to be one of KKR’s reliable options in the middle overs, maintaining an excellent economy rate and regularly breaking partnerships. Beyond numbers, his experience, game awareness, and ability to control the tempo of matches made him a key figure in KKR’s campaign.

Looking ahead to IPL 2026, expectations from Narine remain high, albeit slightly evolved. He may no longer be judged solely on match-winning performances every game, but rather on his consistency and impact in crucial moments. KKR will continue to rely on him as a dual-threat player - someone who can chip in with handy cameos and deliver tight, wicket-taking spells with the ball. If he maintains his fitness and rhythm, Narine is more than capable of once again being one of the most influential all-rounders in the tournament.