IPL 2021: 3 things KKR can do to script a miraculous comeback

#1 Team selection and batting order

KKR has got such a good backroom staff with all analyst and still they send Karthik ahead of Russell especially with Tewatia has overs left and Karthik has weakness against it - it's just sound weird. #IPL2021

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 24, 2021

With partnerships of 53 and 72, the KKR pairing of Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill at the top of the order started off well, but they have fallen away slightly with just 76 partnership runs in the next five matches combined. KKR need to explore the possibility of pairing Tripathi and Rana at the top, with Shubman Gill at no.3 providing some stability in the middle overs.

The middle-order of Morgan, Karthik and Russell looks solid on paper, but KKR need to analyze particular situations and matchups wisely in terms of the batting positions of the trio.

KKR have tried to play Sunil Narine and Shakib Al Hasan in the midst of these three, and it has proven to be counter-productive. Narine and Shakib have failed with both the bat and ball, and KKR need to look at Pawan Negi as a possible candidate for the finger-spinning all-rounder's role. This also frees up an overseas slot for them to resolve more pressing issues.

Cummins has done well with the bat and remains a threat with the ball, so his selection at no.8 is thoroughly justified. Prasidh Krishna is also an important player in this line-up, and although he has been slightly expensive this year, he can do well when on song. The case with Varun Chakravarthy is similar - he averages slightly higher than he would have liked, but he has been economical and perhaps KKR's best bowler in the tournament so far.

Cummins has done well with both bat and ball in hand, but needs support from the other players

This brings us to the last player - the slot that has been the Knight Riders' Achilles heel this season. They have tried Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Harbhajan Singh for the role - but to no avail. Their combined figures read 18-0-145-2. And while Mavi has been good with the ball, barring the DC match, KKR need someone to pick up wickets in bulk.

They have the option of choosing between Lockie Ferguson and Ben Cutting here. They can play Cutting on slightly tough pitches to add some much-needed depth to both their batting and bowling. Ferguson, meanwhile, with his pace, can scalp wickets on the flattest of pitches and can thus be utilized batting-friendly tracks.

Thus, the playing XI we are looking at now stands as follows: Rana, Tripathi, Gill, Morgan (c), Karthik (wk), Russell, Negi, Cummins, Cutting/Ferguson, Krishna, Chakravarthy

The team have four pace bowling options and two spinners, which gives KKR the luxury of bringing in Kuldeep Yadav for Prasidh Krishna on slower pitches without disturbing the overall balance of the team. With the batting line-up potentially extending upto no.9, they can bat freely, aggressively and without the over-circumspection that inevitably follows a team that have collapsed on more than one occasion.