Narine Named Best IPL Player of All Time by Rayudu

Narine Named Best IPL Player of All Time by Rayudu

Ambati Rayudu has no doubt whatsoever: Sunil Narine is the “best IPL player, according to me. [Of] all time.” It came after Narine had returned 2 for 29 from his four overs against Gujarat Titans (GT) to play a key role in a 29-run Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) win in IPL 2026, and it was difficult to argue: Narine has done it year after year for KKR, and doesn’t look like he is in the mood to stop.

Rayudu’s Praise for Narine

“Proper match-winner with the ball, [and] with the bat,” Rayudu continued on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show after Narine was named Player of the Match in his 200th IPL appearance. “There have been such great players in the IPL, but this guy always stands out. He’s on the top of the list for me.”

Bangar’s Opinion

Sanjay Bangar, sitting alongside Rayudu, wasn’t as effusive, but did place Narine in his “top five” for greatest IPL performers and called him “a legend of the league”.

“Some great names have plied their trade in this league, but yes, longevity is a factor,” Bangar said. “He had had to also overcome a lot of other problems in terms of how his action was questioned on many occasions, but he seems to have found another way of delivering with the same overspin that you generally associate with his skill set, [while] retaining the ability to get the ball turning both ways. And that puts massive doubts in the batter’s mind. I think some of those qualities make him a legend of the league.”

Narine’s Impressive Records

Narine is only behind Yuzvendra Chahal (230 wickets) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (220 wickets) on the list of highest wicket-takers in the IPL, with 205 against his name.

He is also the most-capped overseas player in the IPL, a one-team man who has played every season with KKR since 2012, which was the first time KKR won the IPL and he took 24 wickets at an economy rate of 5.47. When KKR won the title again in 2014, Narine was back at the forefront, with 21 wickets at 6.35. A decade on, in 2024, when KKR won the title for the third time, Narine picked up 17 wickets at 6.69. This season, he is going at 6.79.

What Makes Narine Successful?

Rayudu also provided an insight on why Narine is often more successful when some others – Rashid Khan, for example, returned none for 57 on Saturday – struggle for consistency in a batter-dominated world.

“I think Rashid Khan has a unique problem, especially on pitches like that, because everything is a topspinner,” Rayudu said. “When that kind of a ball falls on the surface, it tends to come on quickly to the bat. But with Sunil Narine, everything he bowls tends to just hold in the surface. That’s something that always happens. His ball never skids onto the bat.

“So I just feel, as a batsman, it’s always tough to line up someone like a Sunil Narine, because the ball tends to hold. You tend to lose your shape more often than not.”

• Narine’s ability to turn the ball both ways makes him a difficult bowler to face.
• His economy rate has never crossed the eight-an-over mark in any season.
• He has played a key role in KKR’s three IPL titles.

Narine’s impressive performance has earned him the title of the best IPL player of all time, according to Ambati Rayudu. With his consistent performance and ability to adapt to different conditions, Narine continues to be a dominant force in the IPL.