For the defending champions, this is going to hurt like crazy. In front of their superstar owner, Kolkata Knight Riders conspired to put in an abject bowling effort. Reminiscent of what their performances throughout IPL 8, they threw it away during the chase just when things had started looking a little comfortable. With this loss, KKR are almost certainly eliminated from the race for the playoffs. A slight mathematical possibility still exists but chances of that happening are extremely bleak.
Why was Azhar Mahmood playing?
There was one question running through the heads of all KKR fans – what the hell was Azhar Mahmood doing in the team?
To add salt to wounds, Kolkata had brought in Azhar Mahmood in place of their star spinner Sunil Narine. True, Narine hasn’t been in the sparkling form he is known for, but was it worth the risk to replace him with a 40-year old player who was playing his first game in seven months?
To be fair, Azhar Mahmood’s no spring chicken. He brings with him a ton of experience. But as any cricket coach will tell you, even the world’s greatest players need to stay in practice before the game. It is difficult to fathom the thinking that went behind dropping Narine and picking Mahmood, a player with a complete lack of recent match practice. The only explanation could have been that KKR wanted to beef up their batting. But that reeked of a defensive mindset and Kolkata were duly caught out because of it.
Mahmood’s rustiness was clear, when KKR was bowling. He was carted for 41 runs in his four overs. He sinned even further by delivering two no-balls and dropping a catch.
Kolkata’s bowling was dreadful. They had erred, right at the start, by not picking spinners and it showed. A combined pace attack of Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav and Mahmood provided Rajasthan just the kind of lengths they wanted. Watson was repeatedly given room to clear his arms. The only Kolkata bowlers to emerge with some credit were Shakib and Russell.
By the time, the carnage ended, Kolkata needed to chase 200. It was going to be nine runs too many.
Consistently inconsistent
When things have gone well for them this season, Kolkata have looked like champion side. But when things have become shaky, they’ve often been prone to collapse. It’s only been Andre Russell’s brilliance that has got them through many a tight corner in such situations.
He tried again this time. In the company of Yusuf Pathan who seems to have finally gotten rid of his Shahid Afridi persona, Russell got stuck into Rajasthan. While these two were batting, KKR were getting closer and closer.
But, there was always doubt. From past experience, KKR supporters have realised that this team has become wholly dependent on Russell. T20’s an unpredictable game and even in the best of times, things can change very quickly. There’ll always be a miscue and an important wicket is always around the corner. That is why other teams have invested heavily in game-changers. Bangalore have Mandeep Singh and Dinesh Karthik to rely on if their explosive top three fail. Chennai have players like du Plessis, Bravo and Jadeja, not to mention Dhoni. Today, Rajasthan had players like Karun Nair and Samson coming in and ticking along, ensuring the run rate didn’t dip.
KKR only have had Russell this season. No one else has been consistent. Their success in previous seasons has been due to consistency of their batsman. This year, neither of Uthappa or Gambhir have been able to set good platforms. Manish Pandey has been a complete failure this season. Suryakumar Yadav sizzled at the start but faded away too soon. Pathan again had an indifferent season, despite two desperate efforts at the end.
But, it is the performance of their bowling that will hurt KKR more. KKR have great reserves in bowling but this time, the pride seemed misplaced. Narine had a troubled season, never being able to match up to the heights of last year. Morkel played well at the start, but was inexplicably dropped and looked a pale shadow of his earlier self after being brought back. Piyush Chawla and Umesh Yadav impressed in fits and bursts but were generally inconsistent. Brad Hogg was the one bowler who looked dangerous with every ball, but even he was strangely dropped after just a game or two.
Two games back, KKR looked like they might even finish on top of the table. Unfortunately, Twenty20 cricket has a way of making sure that things don’t go according to script. With bleak chances of going through, it’s time for the team to go back to the drawing board and plan for next season.
Rajasthan Royals (199 for six in 20 overs) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (190 for nine in 20 overs) by nine runs.
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Why was Azhar Mahmood playing?
There was one question running through the heads of all KKR fans – what the hell was Azhar Mahmood doing in the team?
To add salt to wounds, Kolkata had brought in Azhar Mahmood in place of their star spinner Sunil Narine. True, Narine hasn’t been in the sparkling form he is known for, but was it worth the risk to replace him with a 40-year old player who was playing his first game in seven months?
To be fair, Azhar Mahmood’s no spring chicken. He brings with him a ton of experience. But as any cricket coach will tell you, even the world’s greatest players need to stay in practice before the game. It is difficult to fathom the thinking that went behind dropping Narine and picking Mahmood, a player with a complete lack of recent match practice. The only explanation could have been that KKR wanted to beef up their batting. But that reeked of a defensive mindset and Kolkata were duly caught out because of it.
Mahmood’s rustiness was clear, when KKR was bowling. He was carted for 41 runs in his four overs. He sinned even further by delivering two no-balls and dropping a catch.
Kolkata’s bowling was dreadful. They had erred, right at the start, by not picking spinners and it showed. A combined pace attack of Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav and Mahmood provided Rajasthan just the kind of lengths they wanted. Watson was repeatedly given room to clear his arms. The only Kolkata bowlers to emerge with some credit were Shakib and Russell.
By the time, the carnage ended, Kolkata needed to chase 200. It was going to be nine runs too many.
Consistently inconsistent
When things have gone well for them this season, Kolkata have looked like champion side. But when things have become shaky, they’ve often been prone to collapse. It’s only been Andre Russell’s brilliance that has got them through many a tight corner in such situations.
He tried again this time. In the company of Yusuf Pathan who seems to have finally gotten rid of his Shahid Afridi persona, Russell got stuck into Rajasthan. While these two were batting, KKR were getting closer and closer.
But, there was always doubt. From past experience, KKR supporters have realised that this team has become wholly dependent on Russell. T20’s an unpredictable game and even in the best of times, things can change very quickly. There’ll always be a miscue and an important wicket is always around the corner. That is why other teams have invested heavily in game-changers. Bangalore have Mandeep Singh and Dinesh Karthik to rely on if their explosive top three fail. Chennai have players like du Plessis, Bravo and Jadeja, not to mention Dhoni. Today, Rajasthan had players like Karun Nair and Samson coming in and ticking along, ensuring the run rate didn’t dip.
KKR only have had Russell this season. No one else has been consistent. Their success in previous seasons has been due to consistency of their batsman. This year, neither of Uthappa or Gambhir have been able to set good platforms. Manish Pandey has been a complete failure this season. Suryakumar Yadav sizzled at the start but faded away too soon. Pathan again had an indifferent season, despite two desperate efforts at the end.
But, it is the performance of their bowling that will hurt KKR more. KKR have great reserves in bowling but this time, the pride seemed misplaced. Narine had a troubled season, never being able to match up to the heights of last year. Morkel played well at the start, but was inexplicably dropped and looked a pale shadow of his earlier self after being brought back. Piyush Chawla and Umesh Yadav impressed in fits and bursts but were generally inconsistent. Brad Hogg was the one bowler who looked dangerous with every ball, but even he was strangely dropped after just a game or two.
Two games back, KKR looked like they might even finish on top of the table. Unfortunately, Twenty20 cricket has a way of making sure that things don’t go according to script. With bleak chances of going through, it’s time for the team to go back to the drawing board and plan for next season.
Rajasthan Royals (199 for six in 20 overs) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (190 for nine in 20 overs) by nine runs.
