IPL 6: Kolkata Knight Riders - Losing the plot too early?

Defending IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders are currently enjoying mixed luck in this year’s edition. They win a couple, then go through a slightly long losing streak, before again returning to winning ways. A side that is choc-a-block with some of the biggest international names ought to be able to steamroll any opposition in sight. They haven’t done so. In some ways, the Kolkata outfit seems to be going the CSK way- you see the same core set of players in every game. And in another parallel to the team from the South, KKR end up losing very close games.

I’ve been following the exploits of this team since its inception in 2008. They didn’t impress me too much in the initial seasons. There was plenty of in-fighting between two different personalities – you know who I’m referring to – and some of the after-effects showed on the field. Since 2011, however, the outfit has undergone a transformation of sorts – an inspirational skipper, a fiery pacer and an ice-cool veteran all rounder have been the key factors in this change. Yet, the team’s performances remained inconsistent, in spite of winning last season’s tournamnt.

This season looks nothing different either. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why I think KKR may have lost the plot too early this season:

1. Over-dependence on Sunil Narine

The unorthodox West Indian off-break bowler was a relatively unknown commodity in international cricket till he was signed by KKR. He was one of the chief architects of their 2012 triumph, and is Gambhir’s go-to man for breaking partnerships and tightening the flow of runs. But he’s just one man. Expecting him to take 3, 4 wickets in just about every game is a foolhardy move. The game against Rajasthan Royals showed that Narine could be taken to the cleaners. KKR need to reduce their dependence on the young spinner and use their bowlers effectively.

2. The woes of Kallis

The veteran South African all-rounder hasn’t been in the best of form in this season. His bowling, too, hasn’t been very effective. Yet KKR seem intent on having him play a majority of the games because he lends solidity at the top of the order. Age has begun to slow down his reflexes, and he looks a pale shadow of his former self. It is for this reason that the KKR batting has faltered at the top, and was held together only by Gambhir’s brilliance and Eoin Morgan’s craftiness. Kallis needs to come out of his form slump soon if KKR are to reach the pinnacle of IPL glory once again.

3. The misfiring Yusuf Pathan

It looks like a lot of the big hitters have been outfoxed by the bowlers this time around. The Baroda Bomber is no exception. He seems to have forgotten the art of playing the big shots when needed. Sure, he doesn’t get a lot of overs to play himself in, but he has been known to throw away his wicket even after being promoted up the order (in the game against the Royal Challengers). Yet, KKR seem to persist with him despite his flops. Reputation can only get you so far – it is time the team management takes a tough decision about this guy.

4. Choking under pressure

This has been the biggest hurdle that KKR have yet to overcome – keeping their nerves under pressure. Be it the last over of the eliminator against Mumbai in 2011 or in today’s game against Punjab, Kolkata has choked under sustained pressure from the opposition. Coach Trevor Bayliss has a lot on his hands, with the team struggling to make an impact this season. Mental skills guru Dr. Rudi Webster will have the tough job of coming up with ways to motivate a team that seems to rely on individual brilliance & not teamwork to win.

5. Selection woes

KKR’s team selections have been flawed, to be honest. Gambhir, Kallis, Lee, Morgan and Rajat Bhatia pick themselves automatically. All-rounder Shakib al-Hasan is not available because of his international commitments, but what about Ryan ten Doeschate? How come left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla hasn’t yet got a game? With power-hitting Kiwi wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum (fully recovered from his injury) in the ranks, what is the point of persisting with a completely out-of-sorts Manvinder Bisla? The think-tank must do some serious soul-searching if KKR are to make the playoffs this season. Flawed selections meant that the onus of putting up a big score rested on the skipper and Eoin Morgan – but how much workload can they handle? Isn’t it high time that the rest of the batsmen contributed too?

As a KKR fan, I can only hope that the outfit re-groups quickly. Otherwise we may as well see a repeat of the first 2 seasons. Are the powers-that-be listening?