"They have to sort that middle order out": Rayudu's reality check as KKR eyes Playoff spot

New Delhi [India], May 5 (ANI): Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) finally found momentum in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with a crucial win over the already-eliminated Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday afternoon at Eden Gardens. The victory marked the first time this season that KKR have won two consecutive matches. Including the no-result against Punjab Kings (PBKS), they have now secured five points from their last three games and are firmly in the playoff race, as per ESPNcricinfo.
"They have to really sort that middle order out," former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
The win was powered by Andre Russell and Rinku Singh--both of whom delivered when it mattered most. Russell got his chance from the 13th over and made it count. Rinku, who hadn't quite found his rhythm this season, was handed six deliveries late in the innings with a simple brief of don't think, just hit. It worked perfectly.
"That middle period, they really need to sharpen up, they need to step up if they have to compete against the big teams that are doing well this season," he said on ESPNcricinfo Time Out.
"If they have to win the championship again, they have to really sort that middle order out," he added
In a strategic move, the out-of-form duo of Venkatesh Iyer and Ramandeep Singh were pushed down the order to make space for Russell and Rinku, and the decision paid off.
While Russell's bowling this season has been limited--he's bowled just 13.3 overs across seven of the 11 matches--he has taken eight wickets at an average of 20.12. His economy rate is high at 11.92, but as Ambati Rayudu recently pointed out, he remains a genuine wicket-taker.
"In terms of their bowling changes, they have to be better. I don't know why Russell hasn't bowled today (he did, the 19th over of RR's chase, conceding 11)," Rayudu said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"Russell is a wicket-taker. Even if he goes for runs, when you are 75 for 5 (RR were 71 for 5 in the chase in the eighth over), you want to get somebody in there who can get you those wickets," he said.
"He's always been a wicket-taker. So I think that's one area where (Ajinkya) Rahane has to seriously look at."
Former New Zealand women's cricketer, Katey Martin said, "When you're 75 for 5, you go 'how do we get one more wicket here' and the impact player is probably going to come in and then it's Jofra Archer."
"So it's just that tipping point of getting your team ahead in terms of defending a total," she said.
"The fact of the matter is they found a way to win and obviously it's must-win to the end, but the teams that can find a way to win from any situation and scrap and fight give themselves the best chance. And ideally, they would have liked to have been further points ahead. But they found a way to win, and I think that can give confidence," she noted.
"And if it's that tiny bit around 'okay, how do we improve our intent through those middle overs', they can get there clicking knowing they've got match-winners throughout - that we talked about at the start - then they might sneak through," she added.
KKR will now face bottom-placed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at home on Wednesday. They will then travel for their final two matches--first against the struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and finally a tough clash with the high-flying Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). With their form improving at the right time, KKR are suddenly in the thick of the playoff battle. (ANI)