It is never easy to win the IPL, and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will have to make wise decisions to hold the trophy in 2025. One of the most crucial things is selecting the right playing XI. The team has to select players who can play well under pressure and assist KKR in winning games. Each player's role is vital, and choosing the best combination can prove to be a game-changer. In this article, we examine three most important playing XI choices KKR need to make in order to enhance their prospects of winning the IPL 2025 championship. More Chances to Rahmanullah Gurbaz Image Source: ICC KKR could not acquire the swashbuckling opening batsman Phil Salt at the auction. However, they were able to bag the services of Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, and splurged to keep Venkatesh Iyer on a whirling price of INR 23.75 crore. They also possess Sunil Narine, who illuminated the IPL 2024 in the opening position with 488 runs from 14 matches at a phenomenal strike rate of 180. Gurbaz also opens for Afghanistan and the majority of the franchises he plays for globally. All three batsmen have played over 100 T20 matches each as an opener and have scored at least 2,500 runs in that role. De Kock has the worst strike rate of 138 in the trio but his consistency cannot be matched as he has scored 9,583 at the top. Narine is a valuable batter to have anywhere in the team. Therefore, it's advisable to have him as a floater and utilize De Kock and Gurbaz as the opening combination. Also Read | No Balls in Cricket: Everything You Need to Know! Opportunities For Spencer Johnson Image Source: Getty Images KKR are loaded with pace-bowling wealth in the form of Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Andre Russell, Mayank Markande, and Umran Malik. Rana and Arora would likely be the new-ball bowlers, but it would make sense to include Spencer Johnson for the middle and death overs allocation. The left-armer Australian is likely your best bet when Mitchell Starc is not available. Johnson is capable of swinging the old ball and using his over-six-foot stature to bowl toe crushers at whim. During the recent Big Bash League 2024-25, Johnson achieved an economy sub-nine while delivering eight overs towards the end in seven games for Brisbane Heat. He had a good beginning to his IPL career last year having played five games for Gujarat Titans and taking four wickets. The management can assess his performance on the basis of the Champions Trophy, which is his first big international tournament in sub-continental conditions. Also Read | How Many Points Does a Team Need to Qualify for the IPL Playoffs? Maintain The Floater Approach Image Source: BCCI KKR possess a diverse set of skill sets whether it is Ajinkya Rahane's steady-scoring strategy or the all-guns-blazing style utilized by Rinku Singh. They employed a rotational batting line-up strategy last season to great success. Narine and Phil Salt were the only two set slots for opening the innings. The others used to walk in depending upon the situation.