KKR players unsure about new concept

Coming to terms with John Buchanan’s startling ideas at their own pace, some Indian recruits of the Kolkata Knight Riders were trying to think what to expect. Atreyo Mukhopadhyay reports.

Coming to terms with John Buchanan’s startling ideas at their own pace, some Indian recruits of the Kolkata Knight Riders were trying to think what to expect. Their reaction to the multiple-captains concept ranged from a cautious “no comments” to a less guarded “not sure” to more when assured that names wouldn’t be printed.

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Some were apprehensive, some surprised and some dismissive of the concept. But there were ones also looking forward to the experience with an open mind, eager to know the shape of things to come.

“Yet to digest it,” said an outstation recruit. “Not sure what it’s about. Nothing is clear and nobody from the team has spoken to me at least about how we are going to implement it.”

Although there were a few who didn’t speak very highly about the idea of having different captains at different stages of a match or having different captains in different games, some were willing to give Buchanan time to explain his theory.

“I’m looking at it positively. T20 is about innovations. Dividing the game in small segments and working on them separately sound good as a concept.”

This player agreed with almost all others that they should have been informed about the innovations earlier. “As it is, the concept sounds bizarre. Forget about getting used to it, even to know what exactly it is we need time. The T20 game is small in duration, but it’s very demanding.

To get familiar with a form of the game that is still emerging and to adapt to something so radical isn’t going to be easy,” said another player.

Buchanan to speak on the issue again

Buchanan said he would talk about the captaincy issue again in two days.

Buchanan, who turned up at Eden Gardens for a practice session, on Thursday said, "I will talk (about this) in two days". Ganguly did not speak to the media.