New Delhi, May 17, 2026
Sanjay Bangar described Sunil Narine as a “legend of the league” after the veteran spinner once again played a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ important win over Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026.
Narine posted figures of 2/29 in KKR’s 29-run victory on Saturday and received the Player of the Match award during his 200th IPL appearance.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, Bangar ranked Narine among the top players in IPL history and praised his impressive consistency over more than a decade in the tournament.
“Many great names have played in this league, but longevity is a factor,” Bangar said.
“He has had to overcome many issues related to how his bowling action was questioned at times, but he seems to have found a way to deliver with the same overspin that’s usually part of his skill set, while still getting the ball to turn both ways.”
“And that creates doubt in the batter’s mind. I think those qualities make him a legend of the league.”
Bangar noted that Narine’s latest performance felt routine due to the high standards he’s maintained throughout his IPL career.
“These are standard figures for him. He hasn’t done anything extraordinary; he just did what he does regularly,” Bangar said.
The former India batting coach also shared an interesting off-air conversation with Ambati Rayudu about how batters have approached Narine over the years.
“Rayudu said that he tended to bat defensively against him; those singles and twos were the way to go,” Bangar revealed.
“But there have been times when people have tried to slog-sweep him or play off the back foot through the off-side. However, nobody has really taken him down the way other spinners have been handled in the IPL.”
“He seems to be a complete revelation because none of the batters over the last 12 or 13 years, in the 15 years that he has played in the IPL, has been able to dominate him.”
Narine is the most-capped overseas player in IPL history and continues to be a mainstay for KKR. His economy rate has never exceeded eight runs per over in any season since his debut in 2012.
With 205 wickets and three IPL titles to his name, the mystery spinner’s legacy keeps growing with each season.(Agency)
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