KKR seems to be coming back on track and it’s the new opening duo which has done wonders for them. They almost took the team to the doors against Rajasthan Royals, before an unexpected batting collapse meant KKR was 10 runs short of the target.Uthappa is looking a completely different batsman after he has started opening for them. Gambhir seems to have come back to form after a horrible start to IPL7 and this means that KKR has now got rid of their opening dilemma.
This also means that Kallis is nowhere in their opening plans now .It was a very controversial decision of getting back Kallis in the squad. The way Kallis plays, he has to bat at the top of the order and cannot be accomodated in the middle. The problem with Kallis has been his inability to accelerate after getting starts. The onus then falls on the new incoming bats man who has got no options left with him, other than smacking from ball 1. Though, he has converted his starts to big ones but the problem has been the strike rate. His normal scores ends up being like 60 from 52 or 55, which is by no way a match winning innings.
On a normal Kolkata track, 150 might be a winning score and this sort of innings might work if the team managed to get some cameos from others. Even his bowling may come in handy in such conditions. But , he is not someone who can be trusted to bowl his full quota.
But the problem arises on tracks like Bangalore , Mumbai and other flat ones. This sort of innings leads to defeat . With the Indian batsman clicking , the team management should trust them and bring an extra bowler in his place , just to strengthen the bowling. Batting seems to be coming on track and adding someone Like Pat Cummins will surely help their cause.
Back into the cricketing arena after fighting with injuries, he has all what it takes to be a death bowler. Toe crushing yorkers, different slow balls and good bouncers are all under his armory.
KKR needs to get out of the Kallis dilemma and needs to get the right balance, and most importantly get a settled side before marching towards the business end of the tournament. They seems to be making a lot of changes going into every single match. Teams like CSK has already found their right combination and few failures of a player doesn’t lead him to get kicked out of the playing 11.
Kallis don’t seem to be fitting into the 11 and the team management needs to get their act right like what Mumbai Indians have done to Hussey.
KKR is currently placed 4th on the points table and some good performances from them will surely see them into the knock out stage of the tournament.
