'Major difference was calibre and quality of KKR’s spin attack' - Shane Watson analyses RR vs KKR IPL 2025 clash

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered their first win in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) as the Ajinkya Rahane-led side defeated the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by eight wickets on Wednesday, March 27.

After Rahane won the toss and opted to field first, the KKR spin duo of Moeen Ali and Varun Chakravarthy used their guile and deception to bamboozle the Rajasthan batters. The inaugural champions huffed and puffed their way to 151/9, with Dhruv Jurel top-scoring with a 28-ball 33. Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Moeen, and Chakravarthy bagged two wickets apiece, while Spencer Johnson picked up a solitary wicket in the 20th over.

In reply, KKR lost the wickets of Moeen and Rahane, who could not get accustomed to the lack of pace on the pitch. However, Quinton de Kock played a sensational knock, remaining unbeaten on 97 off 61 balls, with Angkrish Raghuvanshi (22*) for company.

The legendary Shane Watson praised de Kock's knock, highlighting a pull shot he played for a six over mid-wicket off Jofra Archer. The former Australian all-rounder believes that this win will give the defending champions a lot of confidence heading into their upcoming games.

"It was definitely a comfortable chase, and Quinton de Kock was simply outstanding tonight. That was vintage Quinton de Kock—the kind of brilliance we've seen over the last 10 to 15 years, whether in the IPL or on the international stage. He executed his shots beautifully. That pull shot he played off Jofra Archer over mid-wicket—my goodness—it was a testament to the sublime form he's in. This performance will give KKR tremendous confidence, knowing they have such explosive firepower in their middle order. It’s a significant confidence-boosting win for KKR tonight," Watson said while analysing the game on the Match Centre Live on JioHotstar.

Watson said that the difference between the two sides was the quality of the spinners that KKR had. While Rajasthan Royals had international spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga in their lineup, they could not bowl with the consistency that was expected from them.

"The Rajasthan Royals batters struggled to find their timing and made a few execution errors, which prevented them from putting up a big total. A major difference was the calibre and quality of KKR’s spin attack. Varun Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali bowled exceptionally well, whereas Rajasthan’s bowlers, particularly in the middle overs, lacked the potency we've seen from them in the past. This made things a lot easier for Quinton de Kock—he was patient, waiting for loose deliveries, and didn’t take unnecessary risks. With his wide range of shots, he can accelerate quickly when he's at his best," Watson explained.

Watson on RCB’s challenge against CSK at Chepauk

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, March 28. Watson feels that the RCB batters will be in for a tough time against Chennai's spinners. He said that the visiting side would need someone to pull off something special to topple the five-time champions at their fortress.

"It’s going to be a huge challenge for RCB to go to Chepauk, especially given the quality of bowlers CSK have at their disposal. Just look at the three spinners who bowled brilliantly in their opening game against MI—Ashwin, Jadeja, and Noor Ahmad. They are going to be a real handful on that surface," the former Australian legend further added.

"Seeing Noor Ahmad make such an impact in his first game for CSK will only boost the team’s confidence, knowing they have another wicket-taking option. RCB will likely need to adjust their team composition to counter CSK’s strengths. But make no mistake—Chepauk is a fortress. CSK’s entire setup is built around excelling in Chennai, and it will be very difficult for RCB to break through. Someone from their side will need to produce something truly special to pull off a win," Watson concluded.