The IPL 2025 season has been a rollercoaster, and while some teams are riding high, others are battling inconsistency—and unfortunately for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), it’s the latter. Owned by Bollywood royalty Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla, the team is facing some serious heat midway through the tournament.

Star Power, Fading Form?

Two of KKR's biggest names—Andre Russell and Rahmanullah Gurbaz—have failed to live up to expectations this season, delivering below-par performances when their team needed them the most.

Andre Russell – The Muscle Isn’t Flexing

The Caribbean powerhouse, known for turning games on their head with bat and ball, has been unusually quiet this season. With only a handful of wickets and not a single impactful innings so far, fans are beginning to wonder: Is Dre Russ still the same threat in 2025?

Strike rate? Down. Wickets? Rare. Game-changing moments? Missing.

KKR had banked on Russell to be the X-factor, especially in the finishing overs—but the magic seems to be missing.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz – Starts But No Finishes

The Afghan opener was expected to bring the fire at the top of the order, but so far, it’s been a string of short-lived starts. While he’s shown flashes of brilliance, converting them into match-winning innings has been the big letdown.

In the high-stakes league like IPL, you can’t afford to lose your powerplay momentum—and that’s exactly what KKR has been struggling with.

Team in Trouble?

With back-to-back losses and an unsettled playing XI, the pressure is mounting on the KKR think tank. The spotlight now shifts to the owners—Shah Rukh and Juhi—who’ve always been seen cheering passionately from the stands. But even their infectious energy might not be enough to turn the tide if the team’s stars don’t step up.

Mid-Season Crisis or Wake-Up Call?

While there’s still time left in the tournament, KKR must rethink strategies—and fast. Could bench strength be the answer? Will someone like Rinku Singh or Venkatesh Iyer rise to the occasion again?

One thing is clear: If KKR is to keep their playoff hopes alive, their big names need to deliver big-time—starting now.