It's just as well that they get to face another struggler as they try to stem the rot at the Eden Gardens tonight
Andre Russell
Kolkata Knight Riders are in the midst of one of their worst runs in the Indian Premier League. With a string of five defeats, the Knights are dangerously close to the point of no-return in IPL-12.
It's just as well that they get to face another struggler as they try to stem the rot at the Eden Gardens tonight. Rajasthan Royals languish at seventh place on the league ladder, a rung below KKR, and have all but quashed their prospects of making the playoffs.
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If the Knights are looking for positives, one would surely be the fact that the last time they had won a match was against the Royals - an emphatic eight-wicket victory almost three weeks ago. The Royals have changed their skipper after the disappointing run, Steve Smith coming back to the hot seat after Ajinkya Rahane was asked to step down but fortunes haven't really changed.
KKR have been more forgiving and Dinesh Karthik, who has not just presided over the string of losses, but is being blamed by many for his decisions and indecisions. The most glaring mental block of the KKR think-tank have, of course, been the continued under utilisation of Andre Russell's batting prowess. The hard-hitting Jamaican is not just a game-changer but has been the most consistent batsman of the side, bailing KKR out of trouble time and again. By not allowing him to go up the batting order, and thus face more deliveries, KKR are repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot. Russell himself has pointed to this lacuna but the team management has not budged. Desperation may finally drive them to change tact.
Carlos Brathwaite was around to say the mood in the KKR camp was positive. "Sometimes all you need is a bit of momentum… we just need to find a spark from somewhere individually or collectively," he said.
Also Read: IPL 2019: KKR team divided? Players practice in different cities after loss to SRH
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