IPL 2021: KKR spin-pace cocktail leaves RCB reeling

Showing serious intent after their mediocre outing in the first phase of the league earlier this year, the Knight Riders bowlers fired in unison to bundle out Royal Challengers Bangalore for a paltry 92.

Not much had gone right for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) when IPL juddered to a halt because Covid-19 had breached its bio-secure bubble. The batters were inconsistent and the bowlers struggled; owner Shah Rukh Khan had to put out a public apology. So, when the competition resumed over four months later and in another country, it felt like a fresh start for the twice champions. One where the bowlers were so good that Monday’s contest was decided even before it was halfway through.

Kolkata Knight Riders cruised to a 9-wicket win.  (IPL/Twitter)

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had once been ambushed thus by KKR, their innings ending in 9.4 overs at Eden Gardens in 2017. That night KKR had used only fast bowlers. At the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday, against a team that had comfortably beaten them in the first phase, KKR used a cocktail of spin and pace so potent that RCB were reeling from the off.

From the time Prasidh Krishna trapped Virat Kohli in front of the stumps to when Andre Russell dismissed Mohammed Siraj with an over to spare, RCB were in a chokehold. The way Krishna altered his length after being creamed for a cover-driven boundary by Kohli was a sign of things to come. Or maybe it began with Varun Chakravarthy attacking the stumps in the first over. Because that is what KKR did for pretty much most of the innings — attack the stumps.

The pick of the lot would be the delivery Andre Russell bowled to prise out AB de Villiers’ leg-stump in the ninth over. It was fast and arrowed in towards the timber, leaving De Villiers keeling over. Not since Brett Lee had disturbed Unmukt Chand’s furniture with the first ball of the 2013 IPL had one delivery made such an impact for KKR. Russell had dismissed debutant KS Bharat with the over’s first ball, Shubman Gill running in to complete a sharp catch. And when De Villiers went, RCB, having opted to bat first, were 52/4.

Chennai Super Kings had dug themselves out from a similar situation owing to a combination of Mumbai Indians not going for the jugular and Ruturaj Gaikwad holding the innings together. Neither happened for RCB. Instead, the player best placed to glue the innings, Glenn Maxwell, was left throwing his bat in frustration unable to even get a free hit away. Maxwell fell to Chakravarthy when he got one to dip and drop after giving the ball considerable air. Next ball, Chakravarthy, whose form would be among the few positives Kohli would take as India captain going into the T20 World Cup, foxed Wanindu Hasaranga and was then a sliver of Kyle Jamieson’s bat from getting a hattrick.

Varying their length and being accurate with their line, KKR bowlers had such a good night that on the rare occasion Chakravarthy went wide, he had Sachin Baby caught. With 15 dot balls, Chakravarthy finished with figures of 4-0-13-3. Possibly the only time he smiled after the toss, Kohli, when speaking about Chakravarthy, said: “He is going to be a big factor when he plays for India.”

Russell too got three wickets but it was a combined effort, one where Lockie Ferguson and Sunil Narine too contributed with wickets and dot balls. Narine bowled 12 in a four-over spell. One which was complemented by a solid shift in the field typified by the way Gill caught, Rahul Tripathi hit the stumps, Russell dived at lone slip and Chakravarthy ran out Kyle Jamieson.

A target of 92 meant Gill and debutant opener Venkatesh Iyer could play fearlessly as KKR coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Eoin Morgan wanted on way to a nine-wicket win in 10 overs. “It’s very rarely you perform as well as we have done today,” said Morgan. With a net run rate of .11, KKR climbed to fifth place after their third win from eight games.