"We
can do a CSK" is the line coming out of the Kolkata Knight Riders' camp.
However, in contrast to the consistent performances from more than one player
that took Chennai Super Kings to consecutive titles in 2010 and 2011, Knight
Riders have their shortcomings, evident during their dismal run during last
year's Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa, where they earned a solitary
(and irrelevant) victory before making an exit.
Annoyingly
for Knight Riders, the difficult questions continue to persist.
Gautam
Gambhir and Jacques Kallis, the top two run-makers for Knight Riders, are
fighting their individual battles to stay fit and find form. Gambhir, who is
also the Knight Riders' captain, remains unsettled after a prolonged drought of
runs that forced the Indian selectors to drop him for the home Test series
against Australia last month. This tournament will be a litmus test for a
cricketer well-known for his determination and character.
The
IPL would be the first time Kallis plays active cricket since pulling a
hamstring before the final match of the home Test series against Pakistan in
February. Kallis who has had several niggles in the past year, failed to excel
even in home conditions during the Champions League, compiling just 18 runs. He
then failed during the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, managing 24 runs in three
innings across five matches.
The
concerns only heighten with Brendon McCullum yet to join the squad as he is
recovering from a hamstring injury. In any case McCullum's stint this season is
a short one, since he is scheduled to depart after first week of May to lead
New Zealand on their tour of England. Also missing till May 12 would be the
Bangladesh allrounder, Shakib Al Hasan, who is set to tour Zimbabwe.
One
big reason Knight Riders finished second to the Delhi Daredevils on the points
table at the end of the league phase last year was due to their skewed win-loss
records home and away. Though they had a fantastic away record with just one
defeat in eight matches, they lost four times in seven completed home matches.
So,
do Knight Riders reinvent themselves or follow the same path that led them to
their maiden crown last season? Finding stability and a balanced team, two main
attributes of Super Kings, will be the key for Knight Riders.
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