Maxwell & AB mow down KKR

My friend in Singapore wrote to me last week, “Ee Sala Cup Namde” (This year the cup is ours). RCB is a very well followed team but unfortunately, they have never won the tournament! This year things seem to have fallen in place mostly because their high-profile recruit, Glenn Maxwell is playing very well and justifying the price tag. With AB DeVilliers in good form too it’s like a dream run for RCB this year. Even before the match with KKR started, I told my son that the only way KKR will be able to win this match if miraculously they can pick up Virat, Maxwell, and AB DeVilliers in the first 6 overs. Once that didn’t happen, the result was a foregone conclusion. It was one of those rare one-sided matches in IPL though RCB fans won’t complain. 

Let’s look at the hits and misses from yesterday’s match.

The Hits:

1. Glenn Maxwell continued with his rich vein of form. He came in at 9/2 and first took the team to safety before launching a no-hold-bar attack on the KKR bowlers. For the first time after 2014, Glenn Maxwell seems to be playing as per his price tag. In 2014 his performance went downhill from mid-season and this time RCB will hope that he continues in the same zest.
2. Glenn Maxwell and Devdutt Padikkal took RCB towards safety before AB DeVilliers came to the party and took the game away from KKR. He is known as Mr. 360 degree in cricket for a reason and I hardly see him out of form. Yes, he might get out sometimes but he is never out of form. With the team getting a good platform, it was clear that AB will create havoc towards the end and that’s how it panned out in the end. 204 runs in Chennai would always be difficult to chase and that’s how it panned out eventually.
3. KKR opened the bowling with Harbhajan and Varun Chakravarthy. In his very first over, Varun took the wickets of Kohli and Patidar to put RCB in the backfoot. Quite inexplicably, Varun was taken off the attack, and that one decision allowed Maxwell to settle in who then later launched an all-out attack in the middle overs. By the time Varun was brought back, Maxwell had got his eye in and he navigated the only threat of KKR quite well.
4. Yuzvendra Chahal is a very important clog in the RCB wheel. But over the last few months, he has not been in wicket-taking form. In the first two matches in this edition of IPL, he didn’t take a wicket too. KKR batting is one of the weakest in this edition and here lay the opportunity for Chahal to get back to form. He picked up the wickets of Rana and DK to put the match beyond KKR’s grasp. He is still not at his best but this performance should get his confidence back.
5. Harshal Patel has been a revelation this season. For years, RCB has suffered due to bad bowling at the death. This year they have ear-marked Harshal to do the death overs bowling and he has not let them down. His pinpoint yorkers and fantastic use of the slow deliveries have been fascinating to watch and I will not be surprised if he gets a ticket to the Indian team if this performance is sustained through the tournament.

The Misses:

1. Virat Kohli is spending more time in the dugout than in the crease. It’s a case of big concern because he has not been in good run-making form for quite some time now. That RCB is still winning shows how well other players have been and that’s why I think this season might just be RCB’s season. Soon, he will be back in form and then this team would be beyond anyone’s reach. I hope he gets back to his usual self soon.
2. Dinesh Karthick believes that he can still get selected for India. But the way he is batting right now won’t take him there. He is the ideal finisher for KKR but his batting position is continuously being changed and that’s not working for him. He should play at number 6 and his only role should be to finish games in a high. He does that well and KKR should use him where his strength lies.
3. Andre Russell is baggage who will not walk into any team right now. KKR is just hoping that he will click one day. But tournaments are not won like that. He is jogging in the field. He is definitely not fit and you can’t hide unfit fielders in the playing XI in T20s. I think KKR should look beyond him before things get worse for this team.
4. Shakib Al Hasan was acquired in KKR with the expectation of providing a good balance to the team. But his batting, as well as bowling, has been a big letdown thus far. He is unable to take wickets and neither he is able to score runs. I think if he has to play, he has to bat at number 3 just like he does it for Bangladesh. That’s his best position and his role should be to hold the innings together. Will KKR keep him or drop him would be interesting to see.

What to look forward to?

It’s getting into the panic zone for KKR and their batting must be a huge cause of concern. If Morgan and DK along with Gill don’t score the bulk of the runs then this team is going to struggle. Going by form currently, KKR will soon be fighting for the wooden spoon if their main players do not show up on the field. Most importantly some hard decisions should be taken and unfit players should not play in the XI. I expect some changes in the team for the next match which will be played in Mumbai.

Here is my preferred XI for the next match: 

Nitish Rana, Shubhman Gill, Karun Nair, Eoin Morgan, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthick, Ben Cutting, Pat Cummins, Lockie Ferguson, Prasidh Krishna & Varun Chakravarthy

But all said and done the main players of KKR have to perform and by that I mean, Dinesh Karthick, Shubhman Gill, and Eoin Morgan! The bowling is their strength and hence the batsmen mustn’t let the team down consistently! Eoin Morgan is one of the world’s best white-ball cricketers but he is in terrible form. KKR needs him to score runs consistently if they have any hope of reaching the playoffs.

As of now, I do not see KKR reaching the playoffs! A miraculous change of fortunes can only make that happen. Cricket is a strange game though so never say never.

For RCB it’s been a dream season thus far. They have won 3 matches in a row and without contribution from Virat Kohli. This tells me that they will be the team to beat this season. They have got their combination correct this year with lots of batting and bowling options and most importantly Glenn Maxwell is playing the best that he ever had in IPL history. I am very impressed with Harshal Patel too. Another 4 weeks of this kind of performance and Harshal Patel can be a surprise entry in the Indian team for the T20s.

Can KKR turn the fortunes around? Who will be their X factor going forward?

Have a great start to the week everyone as we look forward to the resurgent CSK taking on Rajasthan Royals later in the evening!

PS. Life is very unpredictable so don’t complicate matters by thinking too much ahead of time! Plan for the future but don’t forget to live in the present.

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