Kolkata Knight Riders' Coach Wants Team to Fight Hard vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

Kolkata Knight  Riders coach Trevor Bayliss said on Saturday that his boys would like to give their best shot against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL encounter here on Sunday.

"It is obviously a very important game with both the teams vying for the fourth spot. A very important match for both sides," he told reporters at a pre-match press conference here.

SRH has eight points and KKR 10 with both teams in contention for the fourth position.

On the wicket, he said he had not seen it as yet but added: "The last couple matches here, it looks like a very good batting wicket. Hopefully, we will see a lot of runs scored".

Asked if the KKR has any special plan against Sunrisers, which scored 205 runs in the last match against Kings XI Punjab, Bayliss said his side has a good bowling attack which should make the contest tomorrow a close one.

"We will sit and have a look at that tomorrow. I am sure the bowlers have got new thoughts already, we got a reasonably good bowling attack who has bowled well this tournament. It should be a good contest between bat and ball tomorrow," he said.

Replying to query about the good form of Robin Uthappa in the tournament, he said the dashing batsman is a confident player who cannot be contained easily.

"He (Uthappa) has looked very good. He plays in a conventional manner. He plays cricket shots and has worked hard. He times it beautifully, both front foot and back foot. He is very hard to contain once he gets his eye in and once he gets going," he said.

On KKR captain Gautam Gambhir returning to form, he expressed happiness about it and said together with Uthappa, he has done well for the team.

"It is pleasing to see captain score some runs. He was a bit disappointed early in the tournament, but he has batted very well in the last four, five games together, they have put on some really good partnerships in the last four five matches," Bayliss said.

Asked if KKR would like to target SRH in any particular area, he said,"Against any team, it is hard to target anything in particular. They have got a good team, they have got a strong batting line-up and very good bowlers. We have to play very well to beat them and they have got to play some good cricket to beat us as well. Hopefully, it is a good game."

Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody said the team would be looking yet the right combination to play the final Eleven against KKR. "We need to consider all options,"he said. Asked if the performance of Dalesteyn is anyway disappointing, Moody said Steyn is a world class player who can step -up in crunch games.

Asked if he felt that captaincy put pressure on Shikar Dhawan, he said the skipper played exceptionally well in the last match against Punjab, but had an unlucky dismissal.

"His game was slowing  beautifully.He was unlucky last game. He said  the momentum for us in the last game," he said.

Reply into a querry he felt that SRH has failed to execute its defensive plan in the last match against Punjab despite setting a target of more than 200 run.

To a querry on Parvez Rasool , he said the young player was unwell for the last four days though he had a brief session on Saturday.