IPL 2022: Unsettled and unravelling, the Kolkata Knight Riders story

Repeated changed to the team have not stemmed a losing streak that has extended to five games.

On paper, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have one of the most balanced sides. A potent new ball attack in Umesh Yadav and Pat Cummins backed by canny spin options in Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy. In Shreyas Iyer they have a young and dynamic leader who was among the sought-after names at the auction. Apart from Iyer they have proven power-hitters in Andre Russell and Narine. At the top of the order, they have good options as well with the find of the 2021 season, Ventakesh Iyer, Australia T20 team captain Aaron Finch and Ajinkya Rahane to choose from.

Kolkata Knight Riders in action against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2022 (IPLt20.com)

They made a strong start too, setting the early pace with three wins out of their first four games. Surprisingly, they have lost momentum since. The defeat on Thursday was their fifth on the trot.

Compared to the second half of 2021 IPL season when they stormed into the final, it’s quite a come down.

KKR have let Delhi Capitals do the double on them. In fact, it was from the first-leg tie against Capital on April 10 that the slide south started. Entering that game with three wins in four games they crumbled in a heap against former Knight Kuldeep Yadav chasing a huge total. They are only above Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians on the points table.

Their batting unravelled again on Thursday as they were again undone by Kuldeep Yadav. KKR have been all over the place with their batting line-up this season. On Thursday, they sent Sunil Narine at No. 5 in the eighth over, a move which made little sense. He was out for a first-ball duck. He had opened against Gujarat Titans and made five in five balls.

They tried a fifth opening combination in five games but it didn’t work. Their opening batters were back in the hut inside 4.3 overs. Aaron Finch back in action after recovering from a niggle was out in the second over. Restored to the top of the order,Venkatesh Iyer made six. To the frustration of the KKR fans, Finch and Iyer played poor shots. Finch was bowled going for an ugly slog and Iyer played a sweep shot straight to the short fine-leg fielder after having settled down.

Batting first, KKR needed to provide the cushion of extra runs to their bowlers who had the challenge of dealing with a slippery ball due to the dew factor. But, it was another lopsided start.

The biggest setback for KKR has been left hander Venkatesh Iyer’s poor form. In nine games, he has scored a total of 132 runs at an average of 16.50, strike rate of 97.78. During his debut season last year, in 10 matches he amassed 370 runs at 41.11. Since being retained for ₹8 crore (40 times his previous salary), life in the IPL hasn't been easy for Venkatesh Iyer. He has scored just one half-century. After six games as opener, Knight Riders tried him into the middle order, but that didn’t work either.

The only solace for the KKR fans in the defeat to Capitals was the fight shown by the bowling unit. Defending a total of 146, veterans Umesh Yadav, Narine and Tim Southee did well to stretch the game till the 19th over.

For Thursday’s game, KKR made three changes. Finch was back, plus two debutants B Indrajith and fast bowler Harshit Rana in place of Sam Billings, Chakravarthy and Shivam Mavi. But the changes didn’t work.

At the press conference, Southee admitted chopping and changing is not ideal but said the team is still trying to find the right combination after the mega auction. “We have obviously tried a few opening combinations. There are no bad players in the IPL, they are all class players. It’s about guys finding form and then running with guys who have found form. The chopping and changing nature isn’t ideal but I guess it happens when you are not winning lot of games,” he said.

That their rut has the poor form of frontline bowlers such as Cummins and Chakravarthy at its core leaves KKR with a host of difficult questions. Even though the team doesn’t have ready replacement for these two ace bowlers, both were benched on Thursday. Cummins sat out against Gujarat Titans as well.

Southee said it has been the case of narrow margins for their bowling group. “We have bowled well at times, it’s been a case of grabbing one more wicket and the momentum shifts; we haven’t quite been able to grab it. Umesh has bowled outstandingly well throughout. Narine has obviously shown his class, we need couple of other guys to go with them. In T20 cricket it can be tough at times, you may feel you bowled okay but on these ground with one shorter side, it can be tough at times, but we have got to pick ourselves up and make the most of the next games and try and put our best foot forward.”