IPL 2023: What is going wrong for Kolkata Knight Riders?
Kolkata Knight Riders suffered their fifth defeat in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday. Chennai Super Kings decimated them by 49 runs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Having won just two games, KKR are currently eighth in the 10-team table. They must buckle up sooner than later to stay alive in the playoff race. Here we decode their struggles this season.
An unsettled opening combination
The problem starts right from the top order as KKR have already tried five opening combinations this season. Not even once, their openers have stitched a 30-run partnership this season. Hence, KKR must zero in on a certain pair and give them a long run. Jason Roy, who smoked a fiery fifty versus CSK, and N Jagadeesan can be invested on.
The Shreyas Iyer factor
KKR are without the services of their regular skipper Shreyas Iyer this season, who is recovering from a back injury. The dasher is being missed dearly by the team as he has done well in the anchor role in the IPL. Iyer has mustered 2,776 runs in 101 IPL matches at an average of 31.55. He scored 401 runs for KKR last season.
Andre Russell's paltry numbers
Though Rinku Singh has done well as a finisher this season, Andre Russell has blown hot and cold. Russell, who is known to score runs for fun in slog overs, has only managed 107 runs this season, striking at 140.78. Four times he has been dismissed under 10. Owing to the same, KKR have often struggled to gather heavy runs in end overs.
Struggles in powerplay overs
KKR bowlers have neither been able to restrict runs nor take many wickets in the powerplay overs. Their economy rate of 9.92 in powerplay is only lesser than that of CSK (10.02) this season. The Knight Riders have only scalped eight wickets in this phase. Umesh Yadav, who is known to swing the ball, is yet to take a wicket in the Powerplay.
KKR's struggles in death overs
Not having a specialist bowler in the slog overs has also hurt KKR. They have the worst economy rate (11.77) in the last four overs this season. KKR gave away 66 runs in this phase against CSK as Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube went berserk. The team management must make a regular place for Lockie Ferguson in the XI to tackle this issue.
Who all have done well for KKR?
Rinku has smothered 233 runs at a strike rate of 157.43 in IPL 2023. One of the two centurions, Venkatesh Iyer has mustered 254 runs, striking at 159.74. With 10 wickets in seven games, Varun Chakravarthy is KKR's leading wicket-taker. Suyash Sharma has also fared well, taking seven wickets in five games. Skipper Nitish Rana (181 runs at 25.85) would want to contribute more.
