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Big Picture
"We can do a CSK" is the line coming out of the Kolkata Knight Riders'
camp. However, in contrast to the consistent performances from more than
one player that took Chennai Super Kings to consecutive titles in 2010
and 2011, Knight Riders have their shortcomings, evident during their
dismal run during last year's Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa,
where they earned a solitary (and irrelevant) victory before making an
exit.
Annoyingly for Knight Riders, the difficult questions continue to
persist. Gautam Gambhir and Jacques Kallis, the top two run-makers for
Knight Riders, are fighting their individual battles to stay fit and
find form. Gambhir, who is also the Knight Riders' captain, remains
unsettled after a prolonged drought of runs that forced the Indian
selectors to drop him for the home Test series against Australia last
month. This tournament will be a litmus test for a cricketer well-known
for his determination and character.
The IPL would be the first time Kallis plays active cricket since
pulling a hamstring before the final match of the home Test series
against Pakistan in February. Kallis who has had several niggles in the
past year, failed to excel even in home conditions during the Champions
League, compiling just 18 runs. He then failed during the World Twenty20
in Sri Lanka, managing 24 runs in three innings across five matches.
The concerns only heighten with Brendon McCullum yet to join the squad
as he is recovering from a hamstring injury. In any case McCullum's
stint this season is a short one, since he is scheduled to depart after
first week of May to lead New Zealand on their tour of England. Also
missing till May 12 would be the Bangladesh allrounder, Shakib Al Hasan,
who is set to tour Zimbabwe.
One big reason Knight Riders finished second to the Delhi Daredevils on
the points table at the end of the league phase last year was due to
their skewed win-loss records home and away. Though they had a fantastic
away record with just one defeat in eight matches, they lost four times
in seven completed home matches.
So, do Knight Riders reinvent themselves or follow the same path that
led them to their maiden crown last season? Finding stability and a
balanced team, two main attributes of Super Kings, will be the key for
Knight Riders.
Key players
Sunil Narine:
The main catalyst behind Knight Riders' triumph last season, Narine
will be itching to bounce back after being dropped from the home Test
series against Zimbabwe owing to an ineffective performance in the away
series in Bangladesh. Narine, who bowled an important spell of 3.4-0-9-3
in the World Twenty20 final, could once again be the confounding spinner who proved to be the best bowler of the 2012 season.
L Balaji:
Gambhir dedicated the final victory in 2012 to the India and Tamil Nadu
seamer, who was forced to sit out the summit clash. Balaji had an economy rate
of 5.40 (against T20I career ER of 7.98) as he used his knowledge of
bowling on Indian pitches to good effect, cramping the opposition
batsmen for width while teasing them with his variations.
Trevor Penney:
Not one of the most athletic fielding sides in the IPL, the team
management identified that a successful fielding coach, in Penney, who
serves in the same role with the Indian team, was necessary.
Big players in
Sachithra Senanayake:
He was an unknown as recently as two months ago when Knight Riders
bought him for an eye-popping $625,000. The idea, the team management
said, was to pair him with Narine as the second part of the 'mystery
twins'. Senanayanke, a tall Sri Lanka offspinner, is known for his bag
of tricks including a good arm ball to which he recently added a lethal
doosra.
Big players out
Marchant de Lange:
The young South African fast bowler suffered a stress fracture last
June immediately after the IPL and was released by the franchise, who
had bought him for $50,000 at the previous year's auction.
Below the radar
Eoin Morgan:
Probably the costliest player on the bench in the history of IPL.
Morgan entered the IPL for the first time in 2010 after the Royal
Challengers Bangalore bought him for $220,000. Last year the Knight
Riders paid $350,000 to buy the England batsman, known for his dynamic
batting and match-turning knocks.
Availability
McCullum is likely to depart around May 8 to lead New Zealand on their
tour of England, with the first Test starting on May 16. Shakib is
likely to join the squad after Bangladesh's tour of Zimbabwe, which ends
on May 12.
Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
Feeds: Nagraj Gollapudi
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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