Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that the KKR’s biggest challenge in IPL 2025 would be to find an ideal batting position for Ajinkya Rahane. He added that Rahane is unlikely to get a spot in the top three, the positions that suit his
batting style as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “The challenge is – What will the captain do? It’s going to be a massive overriding theme as to what would the captain himself want to do. If they try to make the XI and think what was good for them, it was Sunil Narine playing as an opener with Phil Salt. So if they want to take forward a similar combination, then Sunil Narine as an opener and Quinton de Kock with him. So Rahane or Venkatesh Iyer at No. 3? It worked best for them when Venky used to come at No. 3, sent Angkrish Raghuvanshi in the middle, then Shreyas Iyer, and there was a lot of fluidity. What will he do with his batting order? It’s going to be a massive question. It’s a dilemma.”

However, Aakash Chopra also stated that the presence of a relatively less experienced pace-bowling attack could be their other challenge in IPL 2025 as well.

“You might see slightly less experience in the pace-bowling department. We don’t know about Anrich Nortje. He has missed the entire Champions Trophy, and when he gets injured, it’s a long one. Then only Spencer Johnson and many Indians will be seen there. The Indians are good. Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora are there. Andre Russell – blows hot, blows cold when we see from the bowling point of view. Mitchell Starc used to be there earlier. Now Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje. Will it work or not? It’s kind of a tightrope walk,” he concluded.