Kolkata Knight Riders continued their strong turnaround with another dominant performance, defeating Delhi Capitals to move ahead of them in the standings and stay in the hunt for a playoff spot. After struggling for momentum earlier in the season, KKR have managed to build rhythm at the right time, putting together a winning run that has revived their campaign. The side now sits seventh on the table and suddenly looks like a genuine contender again heading into the business end of the tournament. The win over DC was a big statement as they chased down the 143-run target inside 15 overs to boost their NRR.
Meanwhile, veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin wasn’t very impressed with KKR’s tactics against DC, with Cameron Green coming out to bat at number 4. Ashwin pointed to the need for clearer role definition in the middle order and suggested that KKR should make better use of Green higher up the order, while also finding players capable of shifting gears depending on the match situation.
“KKR have to find a way to keep the tempo on top [on the batting front]. Cameron Green should bat in the top 3; he’s not a No. 5 or 6 batter. You can’t finish with him. They have to find batters who can bat at different tempos like Rinku Singh. Yes, KKR can win their remaining four games,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Also Read – ‘Should be behind bars’: Ex-India star wants heavy punishment for Yuzvendra Chahal over allegedly vaping inside flight
Reacting to Finn Allen’s stunning unbeaten century against Delhi Capitals, Ashwin praised the batter’s explosive ability and backed Kolkata Knight Riders as serious contenders if everything continues to click for them. Ashwin also highlighted the growing impact of the spin partnership between Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, saying the duo could play a decisive role in KKR’s push for the trophy.
“Finn Allen has the ability. In such games, he will break the net run rate (NRR). The biggest speciality about KKR is Sunil-Chakaravarthy’s partnership. If they come together, they will win the tournament. The problem was that Varun was being taken for runs; in the last two games, he has come out [of it]. He’s put in a performance because of which Sunil Narine’s bowling has started to shine,” he added.
Kolkata Knight Riders undone by injury setbacks
The former spinner further pointed to injuries and availability issues as key setbacks early on, while also suggesting that the team did not make the best use of Rinku Singh in the batting order during the initial phase of the tournament.
“Their plan [at the auction] was Sunil-Chakarvarathy, Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana, and Mustafizur Rahman. They would have been in a very, very strong position. It was unlucky for them that Pathirana got ruled out and Rahman was out. Back half of the tournament, they are getting things right. Another thing was that Rinku Singh was playing too much down in the batting order,” he said.