Seasoned KKR bowlers struggle to rein in batters

KOLKATA: Going into IPL 2023, it was batting that looked wobbly for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Yet, after five games, they have scored over 200 thrice, the only team to do that till Tuesday.

“We have never been short on belief,” captain Nitish Rana said after the defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) where KKR, chasing 229, scored 205.

Rinku Singh’s exploits against Gujarat Titans increased self-belief as has Venkatesh Iyer’s 104 against Mumbai Indians, only the second century from the franchise in IPL history. Iyer also came good against GT and Singh has made sizeable contributions against SRH and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Rana scored 75 against SRH, played a cameo against GT and Rahmanullah Gurbaz made 57 against RCB.

“If not him (Singh), it would be me or someone else who would play an extraordinary innings,” said Rana.

But after two successive defeats, and three overall, KKR have slipped south in the standings going into Thursday’s away game against Delhi Capitals (DC). After being brushed away by MI on Sunday, Rana said: “They targeted our best bowlers and if our best get hit for runs, there is not much you can do. The way Ishan (Kishan) played Sunny (Sunil Narine)…”

KKR have conceded 932 runs, the third most after RCB’s 965 and Chennai Super Kings’ 937. SRH’s 228/4 against KKR remains the highest this term till Tuesday. “Whatever be the wicket, that is a lot of runs,” Rana said.

“The fast bowlers have not delivered,” said former India all-rounder Laxmi Ratan Shukla who played for KKR from 2008 to 2013.