We need to be at our best to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad - KKR coach Trevor Bayliss

Trevor Bayliss

Kolkata Knight Riders coach Trevor Bayliss, stressing on the importance of the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad tomorrow to keep their play-offs hopes alive, has said that his team has to be at their best to beat a strong Sunrisers side on a good batting wicket.

Bayliss said: “It is obviously a very important game with both the teams vying for the fourth spot. A very important match for both sides. The last couple matches here, it looks like a very good batting wicket. Hopefully, we will see a lot of runs scored.”

Regarding charting out ways to keep the Sunrisers batting unit that boasts the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, David Warner and Aaron Finch at bay, the 51-year-old said: “We will sit and have a look at that tomorrow. I am sure the bowlers have got new thoughts already, we got a reasonably good bowling attack who has bowled well this tournament. It should be a good contest between bat and ball tomorrow. “

On whether he has any specific plans for the Sunrisers, he said: “Against any team, it is hard to target anything in particular. They have got a good team, they have got a strong batting line-up and very good bowlers. We have to play very well to beat them and they have got to play some good cricket to beat us as well.”

When asked about the rich vein of form that his team’s openers Robin Uthappa and Gautam Gambhir find themselves to be in lately, Bayliss said: “He (Uthappa) has looked very good. He plays in a conventional manner. He plays cricket shots and has worked hard. He times it beautifully, both front foot and back foot. He is very hard to contain once he gets his eye in and once he gets going.”

The opening partnership has been instrumental in the Knight Riders doing well after a disappointing start to the tournament. Key to that being Gambhir finding his touch back after scoring a hat-trick of ducks in the United Arab Emirates-leg of the tournament.

On his captain, the Australian-born said: “It is pleasing to see captain score some runs. He was a bit disappointed early in the tournament, but he has batted very well in the last four, five games together, they have put on some really good partnerships in the last four five matches.”