Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has shared his views on the chances of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026. The tournament is set to begin on March 28, but Ashwin does not believe KKR will perform well this season. Ashwin explained that the team would fight to win but they would not succeed in winning the championship. He believes that recent issues in the team have made their situation difficult. Before the season starts KKR has already encountered major challenges. The team has sustained injuries while players are unavailable which has disrupted their bowling plans. Leadership Changes And Past Success Ashwin described how KKR achieved its previous victories through effective leadership and successful team management. The team won two championships with Gautam Gambhir as captain and they achieved one more title with Shreyas Iyer leading the team. The team will experience negative effects because both members currently do not participate in team activities. KKR lost a chance to reach playoff games during the previous season according to his statement. Ashwin said on his YouTube channel: "Korbo is there, Lorbo is there, but I don't think Jeetbo is there. KKR won the title three times, twice under Gautam Gambhir and once under Shreyas Iyer. Now that I think about it, with Shreyas Iyer, you had a qualifying opportunity that went to another team. Shreyas Iyer's captaincy history is compelling. KKR's loss ended up being PBKS' gain." The franchise has also made changes in the support staff, with Abhishek Nayar coming in as head coach. Also Read | IPL 2026: Aakash Chopra Reveals Team Most Affected by Injury Crisis Ahead of Season Injuries Hit KKR Hard Before Season KKR entered the auction with a large budget and added players including Cameron Green and Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana to their roster. However, things did not go as planned. Mustafizur Rahman had to leave the squad because regulations required him to depart. Harshit Rana has been ruled out due to injury, and Pathirana is still not confirmed for the season. KKR acquired Blessing Muzarabani to replace their departed players. The team needs stronger bowlers despite Ashwin feeling pleased for him. Bowling Concerns Remain A Big Issue Ravichandran Ashwin clearly stated that the current bowling unit has become less powerful than earlier forecasts predicted. The team has major difficulties because essential players are missing from their lineup. "After the auction, I had said that KKR's bowling attack is solid. But now, Mustafizur Rahman is not there. Pathirana's injury is there, Harshit Rana has been ruled out. KKR has the Blessing of Blessing Muzarabani, I am happy for him because he has worked hard and I am excited to see them, but with all the injuries plaguing them, somebody has to do the heavy lifting. I can't see anyone who can do that." KKR must depend on their available players to perform well because they face various problems which threaten their championship bid.