"Something has gone terribly wrong in selections" - Aakash Chopra on KKR's constant chopping and changing in IPL 2022
Former India player Aakash Chopra recently pointed out that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) failed to set up the right combination during the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2022).
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that KKR lost the plot despite a promising start as they made frequent changes to their playing XI, saying:
"KKR used a total of 21 players in IPL 2022 and this shows that things weren't going right for them. It is understandable when a side isn't off to a great start, but if you start well and still end up playing 21 players, it means something has gone terribly wrong in selections. The replacements and changes weren't due to injuries but it seemed like everything else was temporary, but change was permanent for them."
The Shreyas Iyer-led side managed three wins from their first four encounters in this year's cash-rich league. However, they lost some steam after that and ultimately failed to make the cut for the all-important playoffs. The two-time champions finished seventh in the IPL 2022 points table this season.
To see list of IPL winner, click here.
"𝘠𝘦 𝘬𝘩𝘦𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘪 𝘥𝘪𝘭 𝘬𝘢,
𝘐𝘴𝘴𝘦 𝘬𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘭 𝘴𝘦,
𝘈𝘢𝘱 𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘩𝘪 𝘬𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘢𝘬𝘩 𝘬𝘦..."
Thank you to our entire team that goes far beyond the Playing XI! 💜
#KorboLorboJeetbo #AmiKKR #IPL2022 https://t.co/vZnMaSLULb
"KKR just could not find the right people for the right roles" - Aakash Chopra
The former cricketer further added that that no batter from the Kolkata franchise was able to score big runs during the tournament and that dented their qualification chances. He highlighted that barring skipper Shreyas Iyer, no other player was able to cross the 400-run mark in the tournament, saying:
"There was only one player who managed to score more than 400 runs this season. No batter was able to score big runs and that was a major issue for them. They just could not find the right people for the right roles."
Iyer emerged as the top performer with the bat for their side. The right-handed batter amassed 401 runs from his 14 appearances at a strike rate of 134.56 that included three stunning half-centuries.