IPL 2018: 3 things that may prove to be the Achilles heel for KKR
Having won two titles in 2012 and 2014, Kolkata Knight Riders are one of the most successful franchises in the IPL. The team is famous for building up a core set of players and entrusting faith in them for a sustained period.
However, this year, the Shah Rukh Khan co-owned side is looking rather lackluster on paper. Despite spending their entire purse in the auctions, KKR seems to have left far too many chinks in the armor for its opponents to exploit.
Here are three things that may prove to be their Achilles heel in this year's IPL.
#1 The absence of an established Indian pacer
Apart from Vinay Kumar, KKR lacks any experienced Indian pacer. Kumar too has been out of the national team for almost five years now. With a cap of maximum four overseas players allowed per match, it is imperative for every team to possess quality Indian pacers.
This becomes all-the-more essential for KKR, given that the newly relaid Eden Gardens pitch assists the fast bowlers.
The franchise has banked on the rising Indian U 19 stars in Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi, but one has to remember that no matter how skilled they may be, they still are wet behind the ears and need some experience before being put under the scanner.
The likes of Nagarkoti and Mavi have not been subjected to the extreme pressure of the IPL where the batsmen look to perpetually deal in boundaries. It is only with time that they would develop variations and become adept in the art of death bowling.