KKR redeemed themselves after a disappointing loss to PBKS, as they defeated RCB by a massive 81 runs in the 9th match on April 6 at Eden Gardens. Thanks to Shardul Thakur’s explosive 68(27) and Rinku Singh’s assured 46(33), the side crossed the 200-run mark in the first innings. This set an immense target of 205 runs for their opponents. Taking advantage of the lack of frontline batters in RCB’s playing XI, the KKR spinners successfully removed any threats present, including Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glen Maxwell.
Let’s look at 3 reasons why KKR should prepare turning pitches at Edens:
1) Their quality spin unit
KKR boasts two of the finest spin bowlers in the tournament – Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy. Last year, Narine took 33 wickets at an economy rate of 6.53, while Chakravarthy snagged 46 wickets at a remarkable economy rate of 7.07. This makes it difficult for visiting teams to score runs against these talented bowlers.
They could follow the strategy adopted by CSK at Chepauk may be beneficial in this case- playing the right mix of high-intent and utility batters in their specific roles and beginning the bowling attack with spinners. Narine is a world-class bowler whose skills can be used in all three game stages. Likewise, Chakravarthy can bowl during the Powerplay, but his talent shines best in the middle-overs phase.
2) Struggle of top order against the pace bowling
KKR’s batting line-up looks like one of the weaker ones in the series, especially without Shreyas Iyer in the mix. However, with the addition of Jason Roy, they have a top-order batsman who is capable of providing much-needed stability. Indian batters have had a notorious struggle against quality pacers, but if the pitches support spin, Nitish Rana and Venkatesh Iyer may be able to provide valuable contributions to the team.
Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz has always fared well against spin bowling, and Jason Roy can be a formidable opponent to spinners when he is in form. Rinku Singh has shown that he is comfortable against pace bowling and should also be able to handle spinners efficiently.
3) Will help them prepare for away games
Away matches have been an important part of the IPL’s success over the years. Teams that have had the most success have not only fared well at home but have also won games away from home. KKR can ensure they are better prepared for important away matches (or playoffs) by creating spin-friendly wickets at home. This would give them an edge by drawing from their experience in winning games in spin-friendly conditions, as seen in their excellent performance in Sharjah during the second leg of IPL 2021.
