Ambati Rayudu Crowns Sunil Narine IPL’s Greatest-Ever Match Winner

Ambati Rayudu called Sunil Narine the greatest IPL player ever after the KKR star’s match-winning performance in his 200th IPL game.

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu has named Kolkata Knight Riders star Sunil Narine as the greatest player in tournament history. Rayudu made the statement while discussing Narine’s remarkable impact for KKR across multiple title-winning campaigns.

“Best IPL player, according to me, of all time. Proper match-winner with the ball and with the bat. There have been many great players in the IPL, but this guy always stands out. He’s at the top of the list for me,” Rayudu said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut.

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Former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar joined the praise for Sunil Narine after another match-winning display from the Kolkata Knight Riders spinner in IPL 2026. Bangar highlighted Narine’s longevity and ability to reinvent himself despite facing scrutiny over his bowling action multiple times during his career.

He praised the West Indian for continuing to trouble batters with variations and sharp turn in both directions, calling those qualities the mark of a true IPL legend.

“Some great names have plied their trade in this league, but yes, longevity is a factor. He had also had to 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,” he said.

Recently, Narine once again proved his value during KKR’s win over Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens. On a batting-friendly surface where Kolkata posted 248 runs, the mystery spinner controlled the middle overs brilliantly and returned figures of 2/29 from 4 overs. Narine eventually earned the Player of the Match award for his all-round impact in the high-scoring match.

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