"This is the biggest conflict we will see unfolding" - Aakash Chopra on Ajinkya Rahane being appointed KKR captain for IPL 2025

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Ajinkya Rahane's appointment as the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper for IPL 2025 could cause a massive conflict. He pointed out that the former India captain is best suited to bat at No. 3 but is unlikely to get that position in the defending champions' batting lineup.

KKR recently announced Rahane as their captain and Venkatesh Iyer as his deputy for IPL 2025. While the latter was bought for a whopping ₹23.75 crore at the auction, the former Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper was acquired for his base price of ₹1.50 crore.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener reckoned that Rahane's biggest challenge as KKR skipper would be to identify his ideal batting position.

"What will be the challenge? I feel Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, and Ajinkya Rahane, the batter, is a conflict. This is a huge conflict. Shreyas Iyer used to bat at No. 4. The No. 4 slot has become vacant and not the ones higher. No. 4 is not the position where he should be batting," he said (3:50).

"He will like the Kolkata pitch but he needs to bat in the powerplay overs. For that, he needs to bat at No. 3, but the No. 3 slot is not available. Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, needs someone else at No. 3 but Ajinkya Rahane, the batter, has to bat at No. 3. This is the biggest conflict we will see unfolding. Where would he bat, that's the big question," Chopra added.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that KKR would want to persist with Sunil Narine as an opener, with either Quinton de Kock or Rahmanullah Gurbaz potentially partnering the spin-bowling all-rounder at the top of the order. He added that Venkatesh Iyer will likely continue to bat at No. 3, considering the massive amount the Kolkata-based franchise paid to acquire his services.

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"He brings stability to the table" - Aakash Chopra on Ajinkya Rahane's positives as KKR captain for IPL 2025

Ajinkya Rahane (right) led India to a 2-1 win in BGT 2020-21. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Ajinkya Rahane's vast experience as a skipper and the stability he would provide would benefit the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025.

"What all does Ajinkya Rahane bring to the table? Firstly, he has excellent captaincy experience. He is slightly underrated and underappreciated. He brings stability to the table," he said.

The former KKR player added that Rahane would prioritize the team's interests ahead of himself.

"If you want a stable captain, if you have to keep the team totally settled, Ajinkya Rahane will do that without a shadow of doubt. He is a thorough team man. His wont is to keep the team ahead of himself. He will bring stability, continuity and calmness," Chopra observed.

However, Aakash Chopra highlighted that Ajinkya Rahane wouldn't have been KKR's first-choice skipper as he went unsold in the initial rounds of the auction and was only acquired as part of the accelerated process. He opined that Venkatesh Iyer's appointment as vice-captain implies that the three-time IPL champions have a Plan B if things don't work out with Rahane as skipper.