"Sheldon Jackson is going to light up the tournament" - KKR mentor David Hussey addresses their WK concerns
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor David Hussey believes the squad has all bases covered as they prepare for IPL 2022, slated to commence on March 26.
While the Kolkata franchise did well in the auction, a few eyebrows were raised with their limited options in the wicket-keeping department. After parting ways with Dinesh Karthik after IPL 2021, the slot was left vacant until KKR roped in Sheldon Jackson and England cricketer Sam Billings. However, both looked like doubtful starters in the playing XI.
But Hussey has rubbished all such claims, saying that they are pretty happy with the options. Moreover, the former Aussie cricketer showered praise on Sheldon Jackson, stating he could set the tournament on fire.
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Addressing a virtual press conference, David Hussey said:
"No, I think we've bought extremely well in the auction. We have Sheldon Jackson, who is a wonderful wicket-keeper and works hard for his game. He is also a wonderful striker of the cricket ball and dominates in the Ranji Trophy and he has been with the team for a few years now. I think he is going to light up the tournament."
He then went onto add:
"Also, we have got Sam Billings. He is also a quality keeper, has played Test cricket for England and has kept wickets for England in short-form of cricket. I think we are very well versed in the wicket-keeping department and I think we have a well-balanced squad."
Sheldon Jackson, who has been belting runs in domestic cricket, will be relishing the opportunity if it comes his way. Billings, on the other hand, is a tried and tested cricketer and has proven his abilities in various T20 leagues across the globe.
Meanwhile, the Knight Riders had to struggle due to injury concerns last season. The likes of Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine are injury prone and an injury could impact the balance of the squad.
Admitting the same, David Hussey stated that the physios will look to ensure the cricketers remain fit throughout the season. The former cricketer continued:
"Injuries throughout the tournament can be tough and can have a huge impact on any team. So, it is up to the support staff to recognize if anyone is struggling injury-wise, fitness-wise or fatigue-wise and sort of get on the same page as them. If they need rest, we are going to work on that with our fitness trainer and try to keep them fresh throughout the tournament."
Incidentally, Russell struggled with a hamstring injury that had an impact on his game throughout last year.
"It's a well-balanced attack" - David Hussey on KKR's bowling unit for IPL 2022
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The 44-year-old former cricketer also sounded confident about his side's bowling unit.
Despite losing Lockie Ferguson and Prasidh Krishna, the Kolkata franchise managed to reacquire Pat Cummins and Shivam Mavi. They also added young talent Rasikh Salam to their ranks to add more pace to the attack.
"I think we have got a well-balanced attack. It's good to have Umesh Yadav back in the team. He is just a quality person, works hard on his game, he is a beast and hopefully, charges in and bowls exceptionally quick," David Hussey stated.
He concluded by saying:
"I think we have got good fast bowlers in Mavi, Umesh, Southee, Pat Cummins. We have got good spinners in Varun and Sunil Narine. It's a well-balanced bowling attack and we will see how it pans out."
The Kolkata Knight Riders will begin their IPL 2022 schedule against defending champions Chennai Super Kings on March 26 at the Wankhede Stadium.