Few players in TATA IPL history have shaped a franchise’s identity the way Sunil Narine has for Kolkata Knight Riders. When KKR signed him ahead of the 2012 season, Narine had played just three T20Is for West Indies. Backed by captain Gautam Gambhir, the franchise won a bidding war against Mumbai Indians to secure him. After going wicketless on debut, Narine quickly turned into the tournament’s most unplayable bowler. He finished the 2012 season with 24 wickets at a remarkable economy of 5.47, playing a central role in KKR’s maiden title and earning the Player of the Tournament award. He was again their leading wicket-taker in 2014 with 21 wickets as KKR clinched a second title. What sets him apart, though, is his evolution with the bat. Promoted to open in 2017, he redefined the role with fearless hitting, including a 15-ball fifty. In 2018, he delivered one of the greatest all-round IPL seasons, scoring over 350 runs at a strike rate close to 190 while also picking up 17 wickets, earning the Most Valuable Player of the season award. More recently, in KKR’s title-winning 2024 campaign, Narine once again stood at the centre of it all, scoring 488 runs, including his maiden T20 hundred, and taking 17 wickets to claim another MVP honour. Narine continues to define KKR’s legacy.