Not Virat Kohli, ‘This’ Player Named The New King Of IPL

Virat Kohli - (Source: AFP)

The IPL 2026 has reached the midway point, and still, all four spots are open to grab for the ten franchises. It has been an enthralling season so far, with the veterans dominating as usual. Ahead of the crucial phase of the tournament, Virat Kohli, who has earned the moniker of ‘King’ for his IPL heroics, now has a rival, fighting for the same nickname.

Virat Kohli, who is the leading run-getter in the tournament and IPL’s defending champion with RCB, is profusely called the King and the greatest of all times by many in the cash-studded league. There isn’t much disagreement around this argument, but in the latest events, the KKR CEO has labelled their star bowler as the new king of the tournament.

KKR CEO Hails Sunil Narine As The New King

Notably, it is KKR CEO Venky Mysore who has hailed Sunil Narine as the new king of IPL. For the unversed, Sunil Narine completed 200 IPL wickets against Sunrisers Hyderabad, becoming the first overseas star in the cash-studded league to reach this feat.

Courtesy of Narine’s brilliant spell, KKR registered their third straight win in the tournament. During the post-match presentation, Mysore hailed Narine as the new king while presenting him a special memento.

Also Read: Pakistan Player Gets Picked Up In England, The Very Next Day Of Becoming PSL's Highest Wicket Taker

Venky Mysore Heaps Massive Praise For Sunil Narine

“This is the first time I am seeing; I just double checked with the king. This is the first time I am seeing him opening the bowling, and of course, his bowling powerplay. We have seen him do all kinds of things," Venky Mysore stated during post-match presentation.

But today, when he had the ball in hand, I said, This is the first for me. I have never seen that before, but two in a row, and they set the tone beautifully there. But amazing the whole bowling unit, so I thought today, with 200 wickets, we have got to give King the game changer,” added Mysore in the dressing room.

Is Sunil Narine Really The King Of IPL?

Sunil Narine made his IPL debut in 2012 and has been playing for Kolkata Knight Riders since then. Over the years, the 37-year-old has won three titles for the franchise.

Further, shedding light on his performance, Narine has 201 wickets in 126 innings. He is the third leading wicket-taker in IPL history, and most importantly, he has also won three MVPs.

Now, coming to the king tag, then Sunil Narine is the only player to have achieved these below-mentioned feats.