नवीनतम
Struggling KKR eye turnaround against confident LSG
KOLKATA [Maha Media]: Out of tune and still searching for answers, three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be desperate to reset their campaign when they take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their Indian Premier League clash at Eden Gardens here on Thursday, hoping home conditions can finally spark a turnaround.
After three games without a win, KKR find themselves at a crossroads early in the season. Their previous outing against Punjab Kings summed up their struggles, reduced to 16/2 inside two overs before rain intervened to hand them a solitary point. It was a narrow escape, but also a timely reminder of the fragility that has crept into their batting.
The immediate challenge will be handling a resurgent Lucknow attack led by Mohammed Shami. The experienced pacer is coming off a superb spell against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he removed Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head in quick succession, the two batters who had taken KKR apart not long ago. Back in familiar surroundings at Eden Gardens, Shami’s ability to seam the ball and hit disciplined lengths could pose a serious threat in the powerplay.
KKR have already had a taste of what to expect. Punjab Kings’ Xavier Bartlett exploited similar conditions earlier this week, using movement off a grassy surface to dismantle their top order. If
KKR are to avoid another early collapse, their batters will need to quickly adjust to the pace and bounce on offer.
The opening combination remains a key area of concern. Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen have shown glimpses but lacked consistency, and a reshuffle could be on the cards. Bringing in Tim Seifert to partner Allen again is one option, while Rachin Ravindra’s inclusion in the middle order could add both stability and an extra spin option.
KKR’s problems are not limited to the batting alone. Their bowling unit, traditionally a strength, has struggled to make an impact. Sunil Narine has managed just one wicket in two games, while Varun Chakravarthy is yet to open his account this season. Both missed the last game and could return, which would provide a much-needed boost. The team may also consider giving a longer run to emerging mystery spinner Daksh Kamra.
Their costliest signing, Cameron Green, has yet to justify his hefty price tag. With scores of 18, 2 and 4 and no overs bowled so far due to workload management, the Australian all-rounder is still searching for rhythm. KKR have continued to back him, though Rovman Powell’s inclusion in the last game suggests they are exploring alternatives.
Weather has hovered over the build-up, with persistent rain in the region over the past few days, but the late evening start should allow for a full contest.
Lucknow Super Giants, meanwhile, arrive with confidence after their recent win, powered by Rishabh Pant’s composed unbeaten 68. With Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram also in their top order, KKR’s bowlers will need to find answers quickly.
Squads
KKR: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Cameron Green, Finn Allen, Matheesha Pathirana, Tejasvi Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Prashant Solanki, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert, Sarthak Ranjan, Daksh Kamra, Rachin Ravindra, Blessing Muzarabani, Saurabh Dubey and Navdeep Saini
LSG: Rishabh Pant (c), Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahamad, Arshin Kulkarni, Ayush Badoni, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Anrich Nortje, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan
