Before the 2015 Indian Premier League starts on April 8, The National will preview each of the eight teams.
Kolkata Knight Riders
An overview
Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re (Will do, will fight, will win). That is the anthem of Kolka Knight Riders, owned by the irrepressible Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, or SRK to his fans. Of course, he is the biggest star of the team. His mere presence in the stands at Eden Gardens, or any other ground, invites much louder cheers than Yusuf Pathan’s massive sixes or Sunil Narine’s mesmerising deliveries.
SRK is the real “Big Show” of the IPL, but his team have been threatening to rob him of that title in recent times, with two titles in the last three seasons.
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Poor in the first three editions of the tournament, especially in 2009 when they finished bottom of the points table in South Africa, KKR clicked the reset button in 2011, sacking the “Prince of Kolkata” Sourav Ganguly and a horde of other superstars such as Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum. Gautam Gambhir, also known as “Captain Grumpy”, was handed the reins of the team and KKR have not looked back since.
In his first year at KKR, Gambhir guided the team into the last four, and 12 months later they were at the top of the podium, stunning Chennai Super Kings in the final. Manvinder Bisla was the player of the final for his 48-ball 89. The men who had made the biggest difference in that campaign, though, were Gambhir and West Indies spin wizard Narine.
The KKR captain contributed 590 runs to their success, while the Trinidadian spinner took 24 wickets at an impressive average of 13.5, and his economy rate was an equally impressive 5.47. He was named the player of the tournament.
Narine was the star of the show again last year as KKR reclaimed their title after finishing seventh in 2013. He took 21 wickets at 19.38, and Robin Uthappa finished top of the batting list, scoring 660 runs, as KKR won nine matches on the trot to take the title after managing only two win from their first seven matches.
It was just as they promised: Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re. Expect more of the same this year.
The match winner: Sunil Narine
The West Indian was reported for a suspected illegal bowling action during the Champions League T20 last year and barred from the final.
The ICC has since cleared his action, but the Indian cricket board has refused to accept that report and want a test of their own. KKR have threatened legal action and withdrawal if he is forced to undergo another test. The mystery spinner, then, is making the headlines without even delivering a ball in this season’s IPL. He is a precious commodity.
Rising star: KC Cariappa
He has not played a single first-class match, yet KKR paid US$400,000 (Dh1.47 million) for the spinner from Coorg, 24 times his base price. Fans, then, are waiting to see why the team have paid so much, but according to reports he can bowl both leg-spin and off-spin with the same grip. Sounds promising.
Other star names
Gautam Gambhir – A leader who wears his heart on his sleeve, Gambhir has also made some invaluable runs for KKR since joining from Delhi in 2011. His runs will be crucial again.
Robin Uthappa – Owner of the IPL 7 Orange Cap with 660 runs, Uthappa made a 40-plus score in 10 consecutive innings, a record. KKR fans will be hoping for a similar effort from their wicketkeeper batsman.
Morne Morkel – The South African is one of the best fast bowlers in the business, and his performance at the recent cricket World Cup has only confirmed that. Morkel took 17 wickets at the tournament and should be looking to match that haul for KKR.
Umesh Yadav – The Indian speedster was a success at the World Cup, finishing with 18 wickets, the third-best haul of the tournament. Conditions in India, of course, will be different, but Yadav has always bowled his heart out.
Yusuf Pathan – Pathan is probably not the batsman he was in the past, but he can still win matches on his day with hitting like he did against Sunrisers Hyderabad last season. Pathan smashed 72 off a mere 22 balls and set the record for the fastest 50 in the IPL, reaching that mark off just 15 deliveries.
Coach: Trevor Bayliss
Previous record: 2014 - Champions, 2013 - 7th, 2012 - Champions, 2011 - 4th, 2010 - 6th, 2009 - 8th, 2008 - 6th
The National's verdict: The Knight Riders are probably one of the most balanced teams in the IPL, with few stars but plenty of team players. Their season, however, could hinge on whether Narine is allowed to bowl or not.
MORE IPL PREVIEWS
- Mumbai Indians are still in a perpetual state of flux
- Delhi Daredevils are full of star power but short on success
- RCB boast fearsome bowling unit to match all-star batting line-up
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