Spin-friendly pitch can be KKR's key to success in IPL 2026: Faf du Plessis

IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders' key to success in the Indian Premier League will depend on the kind of pitches that they make, believes Faf du Plessis. KKR endured a difficult season at home last time.

Kolkata Knight Riders’ success in the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League could hinge on the kind of pitches they prepare at Eden Gardens, according to Faf du Plessis.

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, the former Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain said KKR must maximise the impact of their premier spinners by curating surfaces that suit them.

Du Plessis pointed to Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, describing them as match-winners who can dominate in favourable conditions.

“If I was part of the KKR team management, I would ask the groundsman at Eden Gardens to make the wicket spin-friendly. KKR are blessed to have two absolute cannons in Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine. They are two of the best T20 spinners in the game right now. Both Varun and Narine have to be in the game. If they play on surfaces where they are not in contention, then you are losing those two cannons and your superpower. Yes, they can bowl well on any wicket and trouble batters. But for KKR to be successful this IPL, Varun and Narine need to fire. The pitch should be prepared keeping those two players in mind,” du Plessis said on Hotstar’s Game Plan.

KKR struggled with their home conditions last season, winning just two matches at Eden Gardens. After initially playing on slow tracks, the franchise reportedly requested more batting-friendly surfaces from the Cricket Association of Bengal. While the venue later produced high-scoring games, results did not improve significantly for the home side.

If KKR opt for spin-friendly tracks this season, their batting combination will also come under scrutiny. The line-up features several pace-hitters such as Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Cameron Green, who typically thrive on truer surfaces.