Kolkata Knight Riders began IPL 2026 in the roughest way possible, losing five of their first six matches, with one washout also taking a point away from their tally. For a stretch, it looked as though that single point might end up being the only highlight of their campaign. Then the tournament flipped, as it often does—trends shifted, combinations clicked, and KKR have now stitched together four straight wins.
Quick facts: KKR’s turnaround
- KKR started IPL 2026 with five defeats (plus one washout) in six matches.
- The team has won four consecutive games after that poor start.
- Deep Dasgupta believes KKR’s late-season surge fits how pitches and venues evolve.
- Cameron Green cited improved team selection and batting roles after early adjustments.
- KKR are on nine points from ten games, currently positioned at No. 7.
- Next fixtures include Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Raipur, followed by home games versus Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and Delhi Capitals.
- Mitchell McClenaghan flagged the games versus RCB and GT as the key swing points.
- KKR could reach 17 points if they win their remaining four matches.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, Deep Dasgupta pointed to two main reasons behind the rough early phase and why things may have been destined to improve. He said the first half of the season hadn’t gone well for Varun Chakravarthy, and that KKR rely heavily on two bowlers—Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine.
Dasgupta also argued that the conditions change as the competition progresses. He noted that many of the venues used earlier in the tournament start to play differently, with surfaces becoming a little more demanding and the spinners’ impact growing—making KKR’s structure more effective in the later stages.
“A couple of things—one is obviously the first half of the season Varun didn’t have a good start,” Dasgupta said. “They depend a lot on those two bowlers—Varun and Sunil. Eight overs,” he added, before turning to how the second half tends to reward teams that can exploit spin-friendly conditions as the tournament wears on.
He then added that KKR’s setup and style suggest their best chance comes later rather than earlier. “The way they are set up, and how they play, I think it’s always going to be the second half of the tournament where they will do much better than the first half,” he said.
Green: finding the right combination
After KKR’s win over Delhi Capitals on Friday night, Cameron Green—who contributed a wicket in his only over and made 33 not out from 27 balls—agreed that the team had to find the right balance as the season progressed. Green’s knock came during a productive stand with Finn Allen, with the pair helping shape momentum in the chase and overall contest.
Green suggested the improvement wasn’t just about confidence, but about role clarity and matching batters to specific situations. “Yeah, I think our team was probably just finding the right combination and where guys should bat to best suit the team,” he said at the press conference. “So I think we obviously took a few games to work that out. I think we’ve got to a really good place now.”
One practical advantage for KKR is scheduling. Their next match is against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Raipur. It is RCB’s second home, but the venue is essentially neutral this time around, given that no IPL cricket has been played there for ten years.
After Raipur, KKR close out their run with three games at home—against Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and Delhi Capitals. The order keeps their playoff hopes within reach, provided they keep building on the current rhythm.
McClenaghan calls out the playoff swing
Mitchell McClenaghan underlined why those upcoming fixtures matter. He said the next two games are the most important stretch, naming RCB and GT as the main rivals for positions in the playoff conversation.
“Those next two games are the most important out there,” McClenaghan said. “You have RCB and you have GT. So those two are going to be critical because those are the other teams that are realistically in the running [for the playoffs], and if you can get above them [on the points table] and if you see Punjab [Kings, PBKS] continue to slide and…”
From the outside, KKR’s early slump could have looked like a team losing ideas. But Green’s view was that the belief never collapsed, even during the difficult stretch. He insisted that the dressing-room environment stayed strong and that the squad’s culture remained upbeat long before the first string of wins began.
“I didn’t think the belief was ever gone,” Green said. “We’ve had like a really good culture this whole tournament, even before we won a game.” He added that defeats didn’t always look like the team was down, pointing to how positive everyone remained despite the scoreboard setbacks.
Green also reflected on how much those losses meant, then described the response as a genuine fight back. “To lose those games meant a lot. So yeah, we fought really hard to get back into it and then I think, yeah, our bowlers have obviously been awesome all comp,” he said.
At present, KKR are on nine points from ten games, sitting at No. 7. The club’s position still leaves room for movement, though, and the current momentum gives them a clear pathway. With four more wins available from here, they could potentially finish with 17 points, which would put the playoff race firmly in their sights.
Even so, KKR’s road is not entirely dependent on their form. Their future is shaped as much by how other teams perform as by what they do next — but for now, the turnaround is real, and the late charge narrative is back on the table.
