Gautam Gambhir and Sunil Narine
Mumbai: Gautam Gambhir has always harped on the need to create the "right environment" that will make the Kolkata Knight Riders tick. The stress has always been on the dressing room atmosphere and man management.
If Trevor Bayliss had set the standards, successor Jacques Kallis is surely treading the same path. Chilled and relaxed, the South African legend believes in allowing the players the space to express themselves.
If hitting the right notes and playing fearless and flamboyant cricket is the yardstick, the Knight Riders have certainly played true to the coach and captain's words. As the league nears the halfway stage, they have the looks of a well-settled unit and also the momentum to build on.
It hasn't quite been a korbo lorbo jeetbo story for the Knights. More often it has been smooth sailing courtesy the raging form of their openers and the top-order.
The opening combination has been in excellent touch providing the perfect launch pad to build an innings. While most other franchises have had to tinker with their openers, the Knight Riders have been consistent with Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa since May 2, 2014, when they first came together to open the innings.
But Mumbai Indians have always proved to be tough opponents for Gambhir's men. Their only loss in five matches this season has been against Rohit Sharma and Co. at the Eden.
In 17 IPL matches, Mumbai Indians have prevailed in 12 instances while enjoying a 5-1 advantage over Knight Riders at home. On Thursday, the Knight Riders will be up against a raging roar of blue, drums and whistling in what will turn out to be Mumbai Indians' final game at home this season.
One man who can take on the battle of the stands and put the opposition in the shade is a certain Shah Rukh Khan. The Knight Riders' principal owner did meet the players at a private gathering on Tuesday evening but there's no word on whether he will be present at the Wankhede.
Shah Rukh has been sorely missed and so have been the stars who follow him. Co-owner Juhi Chawla has been an exception though.
Gambhir though didn't wish to dwell much on the Shah Rukh factor. "People should consider KKR's performance on the field... The rest is a by-product," said a peeved Gambhir.
More than a game of cricket, it will be about two individuals - Gambhir and Rohit. With 237 runs from five matches, Gambhir is already the highest run-getter of the side.
Rohit has always had a special liking for the Knight Riders' bowling. There have been at least a couple of occasions when he almost single-handedly took the game away from the Knight Riders. "Let's see, we will plan something and try and stop him," remarked Gambhir.
Mumbai Indians have boosted their attack with the signing of Jerome Taylor as a replacement for the injured Lasith Malinga. The West Indies pacer trained on Wednesday, though it's unlikely that he will be tried out against the Knight Riders.
Whether the likes of Tim Southee, Jasprit Bumrah and Harbhajan Singh will be enough to stop Gambhir and Co. is a matter of debate, but Sunil Narine's presence will surely boost Knight Riders.
The off-spinner, who's back with a remodelled action, has shown that he hasn't lost his skills with the ball that has turned him into a specialist in this format. But it could ultimately be left to Gambhir and Rohit to formulate their team's destiny.
Mumbai Indians (likely): Rohit Sharma, Parthiv Patel, Ambati Rayudu, Jos Buttler, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah.
Kolkata Knight Riders (likely): Robin Uthappa, Gautam Gambhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Shakib-al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Andre Russell, Rajagopal Sathish, Piyush Chawla, Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav, Sunil Narine.
|
