A new challenge awaits Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as
it meets Gujarat Lions (GL) for the first time at the Eden Gardens here
on Sunday.
The journey this season has been fabulous
for KKR. It has banked on its consistency to not only script some fine
victories but also keep its morale high in defeats. That the team has
scored 150-plus totals in its three losses speaks volumes about the
two-time champion’s excellent run.
The brave chase
against Royal Challengers Bangalore and the gritty defence against Kings
XI Punjab have only boosted KKR’s confidence.
That
KKR and Lions have trod different paths to be tied atop the table with
12 points should provide comfort to the host. It is a story of KKR’s
steady showing versus Lions’ roller-coaster ride, which included a
bright start and three recent losses on the trot.
The
solid performance of KKR’s top-order, led by openers Gautam Gambhir and
Robin Uthappa, and the availability of some innings builders and able
finishers in Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav and Yusuf Pathan gives a
lot of assurance.
Problem of plenty
The bowling
department featuring a wide variety of pace and spin — Morne Morkel,
Umesh Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Brad Hogg and Shakib Al Hasan — gives
captain Gambhir plenty of options. One must wait and see whether Sunil
Narine, who missed the last match due to a finger injury, adds to the
problem of plenty.
All-rounder
Andre Russell’s presence sets KKR apart from other outfits. KKR’s
seriousness can be gauged from the appointment of Mark Boucher as
wicketkeeping consultant to strengthen its weak link.
For Lions, the biggest worry is its below-par batting in the three previous matches.
Nevertheless,
the team has some proven performers like Aaron Finch, Dwayne Smith,
Suresh Raina, Brendon McCullum and Dinesh Karthik. And it faces a
situation where it has two big hitters — Finch and Smith — vying for the
opener’s slot alongside McCullum.
Only, the Lions batsmen need to live up to their reputation.
In
bowling, all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has effected the maximum dismissals,
while spinners Ravindra Jadeja, Pravin Tambe and rookie chinaman bowler
S. Kaushik have chipped in well. The team would wish to add more teeth
to its attack.
With both teams looking forward to
notch up some points and improve their chances of making it to the
play-offs, the contest, on a decent track, promises to be a fascinating
affair for the weekend crowd.
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