KKR Eliminated: Finch On Three-Time IPL Champions' Failed Title Defence

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 resumed with a washout in Bengaluru on Saturday, and with that, the playoff hopes of defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) too.

Coming into the game, Ajinkya Rahane & Co. needed to win both their remaining fixtures and a few results to go their way for a top-four finish. But the relentless rain forced the three-time champions to share the spoils with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

KKR are now sixth in the table with 12 points (five wins, six defeats and two no-results) from 13 matches. With Mumbai Indians, fourth (14 points from 12 games), and Delhi Capitals, fifth (13 points from 11 matches), yet to play each other, KKR can't leapfrog either of the two sides even if they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in their final league outing.

And KKR "have only got themselves to blame" for the debacle, said former Australia captain Aaron Finch while analysing the fall-out of the RCB vs KKR no result on JioHotstar.

"They almost kicked themselves after that last game against CSK [Chennai Super Kings] 바카라“ it was theirs to win," Finch claimed. "The match was almost wrapped up, and they still couldn바카라™t cross the line, which turned out to be an incredible win for Chennai."

In a final-over thriller at Eden Gardens, KKR lost to CSK by two wickets. After posting 179/6, KKR removed CSK's top five inside the first six overs for 60 runs, but failed to close out the match as the 67-run stand between Dewald Brevis (52 off 25) and Shivam Dube (45 off 40) proved decisive.

The 38-year-old from Victoria highlighted KKR's under-utilisation of star all-rounder Andre Russell as one of the reasons for the team's stuttering campaign, and added that "throughout the season, there were too many moments where KKR just didn't click" as a team.

"Andre Russell, being the match-winner that he is and has been for such a long time, was batting too far down the order for much of the tournament. He simply wasn바카라™t given the opportunities to influence games the way he can," Finch explained. KKR retained Russell for INR 12 crore ahead of the IPL auction.

Terrific Iyer

In the same breath, Finch Shreyas Iyer. The 30-year-old led KKR to their third title last season, but the Kolkata-based franchise opted against retaining the skipper. Now, Iyer and his new team, Punjab Kings (PBKS), are among the favourites to win the IPL 2025 title.

"He바카라™s been fantastic 바카라“ just as he was at KKR. Shreyas is a terrific young leader," Finch heaped praise on the Mumbaiker. "Leaving a title-winning side would have hurt, but to carry forward that leadership success into a completely different setup shows his versatility."

PBKS face already-eliminated Rajasthan Royals in match 59 today. With 15 points from 11 outings, PBKS are third in the IPL table, and they can seal a playoff spot with two wins from their remaining three matches. Iyer & Co. can also qualify with 17 points if they beat Delhi Capitals in the return fixture.

"It's a new team, a new coach, yet he바카라™s adapted brilliantly. His batting, especially away from home, has been top-notch, Finch, who was with the Punjab-based team in IPL 2028, said. "Overall, he바카라™s been excellent for the Kings 바카라“ both as a leader and a player."

Follow the Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings match today, starting at 3:30 PM IST HERE. The Sunday double-header will also witness the high-stakes Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans clash, starting 7:30PM IST.