IPL 2021: 3 takeaways from KKR's batting against MI
After a brilliant showcase of death bowling by Andre Russell, Kolkata Knight Riders openers Shubman Gill and Nitish Rana walked out to bat, with KKR needing 152 runs for victory against the Mumbai Indians.
The pair stitched together a 72-run opening stand to put their team on the front foot against MI. However, after Gill perished, KKR's batting looked lost and never seemed to be in control of the proceedings.
Even though Rana was still at the crease, none of the other batsmen managed to provide any support to him. After KKR lost Rahul Tripathi and Eoin Morgan cheaply, the run chase came down to KKR requiring just 31 runs off the last 30 deliveries. Despite the batting collapse, the Kolkata-based franchise were the favorites to win the IPL 2021 encounter.
However, in one of the most astonishing turnarounds in IPL history, the Mumbai Indians managed to win the contest by 10 runs, courtesy of some brilliant death bowling.
On that note, we analyzed the three key points KKR would take home from their batting performance against MI.
#1 Nitish Rana continued his scintillating form
Nitish Rana has been in sublime form in IPL 2021 so far. The KKR opener scored a brilliant 80 against Sunrishers Hyderabad and followed it up with a well-made 57 versus MI.
Even though his knock on Tuesday came in a losing cause, he is the current Orange Cap holder in IPL 2021. Being the tournament's highest run-scorer is sure to boost the southpaw's confidence.
Rana's rise as an opener solves many issues for KKR, who struggled to find a suitable opening partner for Shubman Gill last year. The left-handed batsman's solid form also means that KKR now have an anchor who can pace his innings as per the requirements of the team and deliver consistently.
#2 Shubman Gill looked in good touch
Although Shubman Gill failed to convert his start into a big score, the youngster's knock of 33 off 24 deliveries helped KKR to confidently start their run chase against the Mumbai Indians.
After failing to deliver for the Knights in their first game against KKR, Gill's innings on Tuesday will bring some relief to the KKR camp. Gill's knock of 33 included five fours and one six.
The right-handed batsman's form at the top of the order could be vital to KKR's chances of winning IPL 2021.
#3 KKR's middle-order woes continue
KKR had the match completely under control, needing 31 off 30 balls with six wickets in hand after Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill provided the team with a fantastic start.
With Shakib Al Hassan and Dinesh Karthik at the crease, and the likes of Andre Russell and Pat Cummins to come, KKR had one of the easiest of run chases to deal with against the Mumbai Indians. However, things took a dramatic turn after Shakib perished, with Russell failing to get going.
Despite MI dropping Russell twice, the hard-hitting all-rounder failed to make it count, managing just nine off 15 balls. Dinesh Karthik, who played a decent cameo against SRH, also failed to perform against the Mumbai Indians.
Click here to know the purple cap holder in IPL 2021.
KKR should certainly ponder how they lost the game, despite having the likes of Eoin Morgan, Shakib Al Hassab, Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell in their ranks.to come. The Kolkata-based franchise need to go back to the drawing board and chalk out fresh batting plans for their upcoming IPL 2021 games.