IPL Team Previews: Kolkata Knight Riders
Key players
Gautam Gambhir – Classy top-order batsman and KKR captain, Gambhir will have the important responsibility of telling Kallis to hit the ball rather than tickle it as a potential ‘red-inker’ looms. Has had a relatively torrid time for India in the past 18 months, just as he was confirming himself as one of the best batsmen in the world, in all formats. However, he has always been a top performer in the IPL.
Shakib-Al-Hasan – A fantastic outing in the Bangladesh Premier League helped Shakib take his game to new levels in the Asia Cup. Even though he averages just 15.9 at a strike rate of 115 in T20 cricket, he is always an economical option with the ball, and you can expect a monster IPL from Shakib – if he’s given a starting slot.
Yusuf Pathan – The IPL is Pathan’s playground. He made his name here, and year after year, he feasts on hapless Indian medium-pacers and spinners, on the flat pitches and small grounds of the IPL. His nicknames include ‘The Beast’ and, our personal favourite, ‘The Bear Jew’. And it’s clear to see why – he has the fastest ever century in T20 history [off 37 balls] but KKR will need to work out when they send him in – far too often, he has been wasted down the order. That Pathan has generally struggled to replicate this form in international cricket is a klaxon-like indicator of the quality of this competition, but that’s besides the point…or so they’ll tell you.
Brett Lee – The erratic Lee has become a liability over the last few years. KKR’s seam bowling options are limited and they will need Lee to set the tempo for a spin-heavy attack.
New Faces
Sunil Narine ($700k) – West Indies’ new mystery spinner bamboozled Australia during his maiden international series, but his availability remains in question – it’s likely he’ll be required for the Test series, yet he does not have a WICB contract. Will we have another mercenary on our hands?
Brendon McCullum ($900k) – McCullum returns to KKR this year from the defunct Kochi franchise, but will he be able to force his way into the side ahead of Kallis and ten Doeschate? In fact, KKR have 10 foreign players in their squad – only four are allowed to make the final team.
McCullum and Gambhir will make as threatening an opening partnership as any in the IPL.
Marchant de Lange ($50k) – South Africa’s bright young bowling talent looks like he has been force-fed steroids from the teat, else he is a naturally gifted talent, very similar to Morne Morkel. No T20 pedigree for the 21 year old just yet, but if he develops a potent yorker thundering down from the heavens – perhaps á la Joel Garner – then de Lange will be a force to be reckoned with. With James Pattinson ahead in the pecking order, his first IPL season will largely be a learning brief.
Why should I support them?
Cool owner, cool kit, classy players and less controversial than many of the other franchises.
Did you know…?
Brendon McCullum’s 158 against Bangalore in the inaugural IPL match remains the highest score in Twenty20 cricket anywhere in the world.
Team owner Shah Rukh Khan sends his charges personalized, congratulatory texts after matches.
After under-achieving for so long, KKR have finally hired renowned sports psychologist Rudi Webster to be their ‘mental skills’ coach.
Squad
Gautam Gambhir (c), Sarabjit Ladda, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Rajat Bhatia, Manvinder Bisla, Debabrata Das, Marchant de Lange, Brad Haddin, Iqbal Abdulla, Chirag Jani, Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee, Brendon McCullum, Eoin Morgan, Sunil Narine, Yusuf Pathan, James Pattinson, Sanju Samson, Iresh Saxena, Shami Ahmed, Shakib Al Hasan, Laxmi Shukla, Ryan ten Doeschate, Manoj Tiwary, Jaidev Unadkat.
Verdict
The Knight Riders look like decent play-off material. KKR may just be a couple of Indian players short of lifting the trophy. They have superb variety and depth in overseas players, but a few weak links with the likes of Bisla, Balaji and Unadkat (remember him?). However, if their star names are firing, it might not matter how the fringe players perform.