Aakash Chopra observed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) blending seamlessly as a unit in IPL 2024. Drawing a parallel to a welloiled machine he commended Gautam Gambhir for maximizing the talents of each individual player.
KKRs upcoming duel with the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1 at Ahmedabad is set for Tuesday May 21. The triumphant team secures a spot in the final at Chennai on Sunday May 26. In contrast the defeated side will confront the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 at the same venue two days earlier.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel Aakash Chopra praised Gautam Gambhir mentorship as a crucial asset for the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024.
“This team has played very well as a unit. Everyone has very good clarity about their roles. Gautam Gambhir’s leadership, coaching and mentorship have liberated this team. It has brought the best out of every player, whether it is Sunil Narine or Andre Russell.”
Aakash Chopra
Reflecting on Kolkata Knight Riders batting display the veteran Indian opener noted the impressive performances of Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh and Venkatesh Iyer. Their exceptional contributions have truly stood out in the matches played.
“Sunil Narine has been unstoppable. Andre Russell has been absolutely outstanding. Ramandeep Singh is beautiful, how well he is batting, whenever he bats, he does well. Venkatesh Iyer has also played a few very good knocks.”
Aakash Chopra
Narine emerges as the top runscorer for KKR in IPL 2024 having amassed an impressive total of 461 runs at a striking rate of 182.93 in just 12 innings. Venkatesh Russell and Ramandeep have certainly delivered the goods during crucial moments.
Aakash Chopra Hails Harshit Rana as the Best Uncapped Indian Fast Bowler in KKR’s Lineup
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy, apart from Sunil Narine, have been the positives in the bowling department for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
“In bowling, Harshit Rana is my favorite bowler. Harshit Rana is the best uncapped Indian fast bowler according to me. Varun Chakaravarthy’s stature has grown so much, the way he has bowled and the number of times he has picked up wickets. This ground is slightly big as well. The ball might also get stuck a little here since we have reached almost the end of the tournament.”
Aakash Chopra
The well-known analyst believes Andre Russell might be a threat with both ball and bat at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
“Andre Russell’s bowling – be slightly wary of him because the side boundaries are big and bouncers work at this ground. When they played against this team last time in Kolkata, SRH couldn’t win despite Klaasen’s good knock, and there also Andre Russell performed well. He scored a half-century.”
Aakash Chopra
Chakaravarthy (18) and Harshit (16) are leading the charge for KKR in IPL 2024. Narine and Russell have bagged 15 dismissals each while Mitchell Starc with 12 scalps joins the ranks of bowlers securing more than 10 wickets for the two time champions.