The Kolkata Knight Riders have blown hot and cold in this IPL season so far. They looked a well-rounded side when they beat Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, but in the three losses they have suffered, they have come across as either a weak or a confused team.
On Friday, they take on Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury and Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s return to captaincy will hog most of the spotlight in the match and that should give the Knights the space to plug the holes in their game.
But which KKR will turn up in Chennai on Friday? Will they wear the crown of confidence, being the defending champions? Or will they be the side who bungled big time in their last game, losing to Lucknow Super Giants by just 4 runs despite being on course for a great win for most of the match?
Planning is one aspect where the Knights should be better prepared. Against the Super Giants, they messed up their batting order needlessly. The way they lost that game, even Sourav Ganguly, a former KKR captain, was bewildered. “I think the last game they should have won. They were cruising while chasing (a target) 239. They should have won that game and that too with an over to spare. But they didn’t win it. They’re a good side. They’ve got some fabulous players. (Ajinkya) Rahane himself is in very good form,” Sourav said at a promotional on Thursday.
Like many, the former India captain too thinks that the Knights needs to rethink about their batting order. “My only worry is I see Rinku Singh too much lower down the order. I’m sure there are people in the team who will do the right things. It’s still early days,” Sourav added.
The Knights, however, have a slender advantage because of the fact that Chennai have bigger problems to deal with. With just one win from five matches, the five-time champions have lacked punch in their performance, especially in bowling. But with Dhoni back as the skipper, they will surely be hoping to make a turnaround with Captain Cool’s Midas touch.
On a Chennai surface that usually helps spinners, the Knights will perhaps bring back Moeen Ali in the XI to field a three-pronged spin attack with Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine. Chennai’s spin arsenal is also impressive, with Afghan Noor Ahmad in top form.
But who outshines whom on Friday might be decided more in the mindspace than on the field.