Sourav Ganguly, former Indian cricket captain and a key figure in the Delhi Capitals (DC) franchise, remains cautious about predicting the winner of IPL 2025. Despite acknowledging the strength of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Ganguly believes the tournament’s unpredictability makes it impossible to pick a clear favourite at this stage.
Speaking to the media at Eden Gardens, he remarked, “It is too early to say anything right now. The tournament is too long and competitive. All teams are balanced.”
Ganguly, who has closely followed the game both on and off the field, pointed out the potential impact of KKR’s spin attack. He specifically highlighted Varun Chakravarthy, a bowler known for his precision and guile, as a player to watch. “He will bowl even better in this format (T20). Kolkata Knight Riders is a strong team,” Sourav Ganguly noted ahead of KKR’s opening match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
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Varun Chakravarthy, fresh from a successful ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign where he claimed nine wickets in three matches, remains grounded despite the accolades. The KKR spinner admitted the IPL presents unique challenges distinct from international cricket.
#WATCH | Kolkata: On the Indian Premier League 2025, Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly says, “It is too early to say anything right now. The tournament is too long and competitive. He (Varun Chakravarthy) will bowl even better in this format (T-20). Kolkata Knight… pic.twitter.com/1CO1ocLUPp
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2025
“Confidence is very important, but as in every new tournament, even if you win the last tournament, you have to start from scratch. IPL is a different ball game and it’s a different beast. I very well know what’s coming my way,” Varun Chakravarthy said in the pre-match press conference.
RCB head coach Andy Flower also acknowledged the threat posed by KKR’s spin duo of Sunil Narine and Chakravarthy. He expressed both caution and excitement about facing world-class spinners in a tournament as competitive as the IPL.
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“That is why you play this game at this level—to test yourself against the best in the world. IPL cricket is of a standard that mirrors international cricket, with all the excitement and energy that comes with playing in India,” Flower shared.
As IPL 2025 unfolds, the battle between KKR’s spinners and RCB’s power-packed batting lineup promises to be a gripping contest.
