Nitish Rana, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain, refused to call the 19-year-old leg-spinner Suyash Sharma a mystery spinner. Instead, he noted the bowler’s quick arm speed as the “X-factor”. Suyash was drafted in as the ‘impact player’ for KKR’s Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, April 6. He acquitted himself well, picking up 3/30 from his four overs, leading KKR to an 81-run victory against RCB.
During the post-match press conference, the Kolkata skipper spoke about the young spinner who had a great showing against RCB. Nitish Rana said:
“Suyash Sharma is not a mystery spinner. He’s a normal leg-spinner. But yes, he has an X-factor because his arm speed is very quick. He has an orthodox (unorthodox) action and it’s not easy to pick him. He is very quick in the air. If the batter is in doubt over whether the ball is a googly or a leg-spinner, 100 percent he is in trouble.”
Coach Chandrakant Pandit also praised Suyash’s bowling performance following KKR’s emphatic win. He said:
“We have seen him at trial matches. He is very quick in the air, and it’s very tough to pick him. It’s just the inexperience; but he showed a fighting attitude.”
RCB were all out for only 123, falling well short of the 205-run target set, as the young leg-spinner dismissed Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, and Karn Sharma.
“As a captain, I cannot give a better gift to my supporters”: Nitish Rana
The famous Eden Gardens was the destination for the KKR match on Thursday, the first game in this venue since the outbreak of COVID-19. It was a triumphant return for the franchise, providing fans with an excellent show. Nitish Rana highlighted the joy of being able to perform well in front of their supporters.
“We have waited for a long time. We are coming back after three years. As a captain, I cannot give a better gift to my supporters. I have played here during my first two years (with KKR) and I know how loud the crowd is here. I would like to thank the crowd.”
Nitish Rana