Akram backs Narine to come back stronger

Kolkata, May 5: With questions being raised over Sunil Narine’s action again, Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach Wasim Akram has said the mystery spinner will bounce back from the rough patch and the defending champions are in need of his services in their ongoing IPL cricket campaign.

Coming clean after a rehabilitation program post being called for chucking in last year’s CL T20, Narine was was once called for a suspect action in this IPL edition and subsequently barred from bowling the off- spinner. Akram insists things will soon fall into place for the champion spinner.

“He is a hard working guy and I am sure everything will go well for him. KKR need him. Narine has been exceptional for KKR. He bowled us to the championship in 2012, and he contributed immensely last season,” the legendary Pakistan pacer said. Giving an update on his retest for the offspin delivery, Akram said: “We are expecting the report on Narine in the next couple of days, which would decide his fate.”

KKR have managed beautifully without their ace spinner, who was instrumental in the Kolkatabased franchise winning the trophy last season, as his replacement in Australian chinaman bowler Brad Hogg has claimed eight wickets in four matches with an economy of 6.21. Akram credited Gautam Gambhir to ring in the change successfully. “The credit goes to Gambhir for being constantly in search for a mystery spinner. A mystery spinner is one whose ball you can’t pick easily. Hogg surely has filled in Narine’s shoes perfectly. This is what Narine has been doing and that is exactly what Hogg is doing.”