"His batting is like a slight copy of MS Dhoni" - Sunil Gavaskar wants Rahmanullah Gurbaz to be a part of KKR's playing XI in IPL 2024
Sunil Gavaskar wants Rahmanullah Gurbaz to feature in the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) playing XI in IPL 2024.
Mitchell Starc, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine are expected to be three of the four overseas players in the Knight Riders' first-choice XI. Gurbaz might compete with Jason Roy for the last overseas position.
On Star Sports, Gavaskar talked about how the Kolkata Knight Riders would find a solution to their wicketkeeping-batting problem, especially if they field Roy in the XI:
"I have liked Gurbaz's batting a lot based on whatever I have seen. He is extremely aggressive, and his batting is like a slight copy of MS Dhoni, and that is why I probably like it."
The former India captain added that the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter's humane conduct should also earn him a spot in KKR's playing XI.
"When the World Cup ended, after that, the job he did, he gave money to the people sleeping on the footpath. For doing that, he has to definitely be in the team for me," Gavaskar stated.
Gurbaz aggregated 227 runs at an underwhelming average of 20.64 in 11 innings in IPL 2023. He scored only two fifties, with a swashbuckling 81-run knock off 39 deliveries against the Gujarat Titans at the Eden Gardens being his best effort.
"Not going to be easy" - Sunil Gavaskar on KKR's IPL 2024 playoff qualification chances
![The Kolkata Knight Riders finished seventh in IPL 2023. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/02/4ddc4-17077220168789-1920.jpg?w=500)
Sunil Gavaskar also offered his thoughts on the Kolkata Knight Riders' playoff qualification prospects and whether their Indian batting foursome of Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh and Venkatesh Iyer will have to rise to the occasion if the pitch at the Eden Gardens is slow and assists spinners.
"Not going to be easy (playoff qualification). They have to because they have got the experience, not only of playing on those kinds of pitches, of having played in the IPL for a while."
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that KKR's four prominent Indian batters, especially Rinku, have performed well for the franchise lately.
"I think that experience does come in very handy because you know what the pressure is and you know how to handle it. All these four players have done it exceptionally well. Rinku Singh, in particular, in the last year or so has been tremendous," Gavaskar observed.
Shreyas missed the last season of the IPL due to back issues. Rinku (474), Nitish (413) and Venkatesh (404) were KKR's top three run-getters in IPL 2023.