KKR head coach Brendon McCullum opened up on their PowerPlay struggles after they were virtually knocked out of the IPL 2022 playoffs race.
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Kolkata Knight Riders have faced rock bottom after having started on a high note. They had a new opener in Ajinkya Rahane alongside Venkatesh Iyer but 10 games since, both the players have lost their spot in the team and none of their four different opening pairs could manage to do well. They have won only 4 games out of 11 and placed eighth in the IPL 2022 points table. However, after the game, KKR head coach Brendon McCullum opened up on this. Notably, KKR is the only side that lost 20 wickets in the Powerplay – most by a side this season as well.
“Unfortunately we weren’t able to put together a decent enough partnership at the top of the order,” McCullum said. “We struggled in the PowerPlay which has been a frustration for us throughout the season. We’ve been good throughout the middle phase and not too bad at the death, but in the PowerPlay, we’ve been a little unstuck and we’ve to find a method to not lose many wickets and also throw a few punches and get a few boundaries. At the moment we’re stuck in between and it’s not really working and our opponents are taking advantage of that.”
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However, before Saturday’s game, KKR were in a similar situation as last year – with 6 defeats in 10 matches. But in 2021, they bounced back when the league shifted to the UAE. And, it happened because of a youngster – Venkatesh Iyer, who turned the table for KKR and earned his maiden India call up soon after. Moreover, KKR has also retained him for this season as well but he failed to keep up the momentum.
“He [Venkatesh Iyer] didn’t get as many runs as he would’ve liked and we got forced into a situation where we had to look at some other options. That’s obviously disappointing for someone who’s represented India in the last 7 or 8 months on the back of what was a very good IPL last time in the UAE,” Brendon McCullum again shared.
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Venkatesh Iyer, who ended IPL 2021 with 370 runs in 10 outings with 4 fifties, has just one half-century this season and a next-best score of 18 in the eight games he played. He has been dropped soon after, with KKR searching for different batting options but that too didn’t work. And, McCullum reckoned that there was still a way back for the Iyer with three must-win fixtures coming up in their way to remain in the playoffs race as well.
“So it’s a little bit frustrating for him, I know he’s working hard in the nets as well and trying to get his spot back and that will certainly be a consideration. In a short tournament, you have to be able to use the other guys as well. That’s what we’ve unfortunately had to do with Venkatesh but he’s certainly not out of reckoning for the games to come,” Brendon McCullum concluded.
