Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were eliminated from the 16th season of IPL after losing to LSG on Saturday, May 20. They finished at seventh in the standings, by winning only six of their 14 matches.
They failed to enter the playoffs due to their inability to play as a team. They had problems at first because of their opening combination and the weak form of their seasoned pacers. Sunil Narine’s troubles and Andre Russell’s inconsistency did not assist their chances either.
Despite their difficult season, the Knight Riders may look back on a few things that can help them go ahead as a team.
On that point, here’s a look at 3 positives for KKR from IPL 2023:
1) The rise of Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh’s rise was without a doubt the most significant positive for KKR in IPL 2023. Last year, the Aligarh native showed his skill and left his mark on the big stage this season.
The Southpaw scored 474 runs in 14 games with a great average of 59.25 and a spectacular strike rate of 149.53. He smacked four half-centuries and played several innings that left people speechless.
Rinku became an instant sensation after smashing 48* off 21 balls against the Gujarat Titans. In the last over, he hit five consecutive sixes to help KKR win the game. Then Rinku won a few games for KKR, and no opponent could breathe freely while he was at the crease. Such was his self-assurance and influence this season.
Rinku Singh is a talented player with a cool head on his shoulders. He’s been a phenomenon this year and will only improve with more experience.
2) The emergence of domestic quicks
This season, KKR’s seasoned pacers disappointed them and were one of the key reasons for their dismal performance. Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, and Tim Southee all bowled poorly, putting a lot of strain on the spinners. Furthermore, Sunil Narine struggled a little, making them one of the worst bowling teams.
However, at the conclusion of the season, they discovered two talented youths, Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora. Rana appeared in six games this season, taking five wickets and averaging 8.65 runs per over. Those numbers don’t do credit to how well he performed in terms of speed and line length.
Similarly, Arora showed remarkable promise, taking five wickets in two games. He and Rana have the potential to be valuable assets for the Knights in the future.
3) The young leggie
Suyash Sharma’s youthful leg-spinner bowling was another significant plus for the Knight Riders. Sharma was signed by KKR after impressing during tryouts. The management thought he possessed an Xfactor, which encouraged his selection. Suyash, on the other hand, has no experience playing domestic cricket prior to the IPL 2023. It was a significant bet, but Suyash returned KKR’s trust in him.
He made an impression in his debut game, against RCB, with numbers of 3-30. In the IPL 2023, he took 10 wickets at an economy rate of 8.23. Suyash had a strong rookie season despite his lack of experience. He will only improve with more exposure and might be a long-term potential for KKR, especially with Narine nearing the end of his career.