India, April 15 -- Four losses, no wins, Kolkata Knight Riders' campaign is already beginning to feel older than it is. What's worse is that nothing about KKR's slow decline has been dramatic so far. No particular collapse stands out, neither one defeat so chastening that it has reshaped the narrative overnight. Instead what has slowly emerged across the first five IPL matches is quieter, and in many ways concerning-a slow drift into irrelevance that could soon plunge into the ignominy of being left behind by the rest of the teams. This isn't only about the yawning gap of points but their selection, strategy and choices that are increasingly looking archaic and knee-jerk.

In a tournament built on momentum and reinvention, KKR have found ...