Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar has stated that Kolkata Knight Riders have an attack that can stifle Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator contest of IPL 2021, which will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday.
KKR has spinners like Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Shakib Al Hasan.
Chakravarthy and Narine have played a key role in the success of KKR in the second phase of the tournament and have helped their team in turning the corner. Chakravarthy has scalped 16 wickets in 14 matches whereas Narine has bagged 10 in the 11 matches he has played. Chakravarthy has bowled with an impressive economy rate of 6.50 while Narine has conceded his runs at an economy of 6.52.
Lockie Ferguson has impressed with his extra pace and the Kiwi gun fast bowler has bowled with an economy rate of 6.22. Furthermore, Shivam Mavi has also done a fine job as the young fast bowler has scalped nine wickets in six matches and he has bowled with an economy rate of 6.84.
Shakib Al Hasan, who has replaced Andre Russell, has also done a great job with the ball. Thus, the KKR bowlers have played a key role in helping the team qualify for the playoff stages.
“There is no news yet about the availability of Andre Russell, but if he is fit, then he will bolster the middle-order for Kolkata. He is just the kind of player who can turn a match with both bat and ball, so Kolkata will be hoping he is fit.
“Lockie Ferguson has been terrific for Kolkata, with his pace rattling the best, and if he bowls as well as he can and with the two mystery spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, Kolkata has an attack that can stifle the opposition,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for the Times of India.
On the other hand, the Little Master also heaped praise on RCB batter KS Bharat, who has been a positive for the team. Bharat had smashed a six against Avesh Khan to get his team over the line against DC. Bharat has amassed 182 runs in six innings at an impressive average of 45.50 and a strike rate of 130 in the ongoing season.
“Bangalore after that terrific last-ball win over table-toppers Delhi will be buoyant for it was a newcomer KS Bharat who kept cool and finished the game with a six.It was a brilliantly paced chase and with Maxwell once again taking the lead with some audacious strokeplay, Bharat also began to open out and played some bold shots.
“Don’t forget that he had come in to bat in the first over itself and that too after keeping wickets for 20 overs. To then stay right till the end shows the immense stamina and staying power he has. More importantly, in testing times, he kept his cool, and that also displays sound temperament,” wrote Sunil Gavaskar.
