"Kolkata made a strategic mistake" - Aakash Chopra on KKR's IPL 2025 loss vs CSK

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that a 'strategic mistake' potentially cost the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) a win in their IPL 2025 clash against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He wondered why the franchise didn't include Anrich Nortje in their playing combination despite their seam-bowling issues.

KKR set CSK a 180-run target in Match 57 of IPL 2025 in Kolkata on Wednesday, May 7. The visitors achieved the target with two wickets and as many deliveries to spare, leaving the hosts with an arduous task to reach the playoffs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener questioned KKR for playing Moeen Ali ahead of Nortje, highlighting that they might have won the game had the South African seamer been part of their bowling attack.

"You are playing with weak fast bowling. You are getting Moeen Ali to bowl. He even got Devon Conway out, but you got him to bowl only two overs. You didn't have the courage to bring him into the attack again because Dewald Brevis would hit sixes as Riyan Parag had done that," Chopra said (18:45).

"If that was playing on your mind, Nortje should have played. If Nortje had played, he would have bowled the over you gave to Vaibhav (Arora). So I feel Kolkata made a strategic mistake there," he added.

Moeen Ali picked up a wicket and conceded 23 runs in two overs, but wasn't used thereafter. Dewald Brevis (52 off 25) smashed 30 runs in the 11th over bowled by Vaibhav Arora when CSK needed 87 runs off 60 balls to bring the equation down to almost a run-a-ball.

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"Kolkata are stuck" - Aakash Chopra on KKR after IPL 2025 loss vs CSK

KKR have won only five of their first 12 games in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that the Kolkata Knight Riders' playoff qualification chances have reduced considerably.

"We know this team (CSK) is not going anywhere, but what about Kolkata? Kolkata are stuck because they can reach only till 15 points, and three teams have already reached 15 points. Punjab, Gujarat and RCB have reached there," he said (19:10).

While acknowledging that Ajinkya Rahane and company still have a slim chance, the cricketer-turned-commentator opined that they are unlikely to make the grade.

"They are already there, and Mumbai are standing on 14 and Delhi are standing on 13. So it has become difficult now. They were the defending champions for sure, but couldn't manage the batting order properly. They couldn't do anything properly. All but over. Outside chance, but I feel it won't happen this time," Chopra observed.

With 11 points from 12 games, KKR are placed sixth on the points table. They need to win their remaining two league games and require many other results to go in their favor to qualify for the playoffs.