Sunil Narine Reported: Should Kolkata Knight Riders be Really Bothered?
Whether Sunil Narine plays any further part in the IPL is still to be seen but will it really make a difference either ways? One look at his past record this season suggests it may just be a blessing in disguise.
Two wickets in 5 games at an abysmal average of 73.50 this season - That's horrible for Sunil Narine. That's pittance for a man around whom a team functions. By this stage in the last IPL, the man with the mohawk had taken 9 wickets. Since then he has been reported twice for a suspect illegal action and been to two different ICC accredited Testing centers. The latest incident with his action came in Kolkata's match against Hyderabad on the 22nd of April.
Getting reported doesn't stop Narine from bowling this IPL. But if he is reported again then he will be suspended for the rest of the season. So that leaves the Kolkata management in a bit of a conundrum. Should they play an ineffective Narine and risk losing him for the rest of the season? Or should they drop him and wait for the West Indian to not only remodel his action but also regain some sting and confidence?
The decision is probably tougher than picking Narine's doosra (when it is legal). But the big question is does Kolkata need to bother with Narine any longer? He is ineffective, without sting, and doesn't pose a threat to the batsmen like he did in the past. Besides the Kolkata Knight Riders is a minefield of quality spinners. Johan Botha, Piyush Chawla, Shakib Al Hasan, Brad Hogg, Kuldeep Yadav, and their new so called mystery spinner KC Cariappa make up their bowling department. Surely one of these folk can produce similar if not better average performances that Narine has produced so far this season?
The problem with reporting Sunil Narine is that this is being done after Kolkata has won 2 IPL trophies with a strategy designed around his unidentifiable mystery deliveries. Doesn't this also question the credibility of those famous victories? Or did Sunil Narine's action change for the worse after Kolkata won 2 IPL trophies in the last 3 editions?
It would be sad to see the critics question Kolkata's titles because of one man's illegal action. One way to put to rest any doubts that might creep up about whether KKR would have been able to achieve a similar record with the remodeled action of Sunil Narine or even without the West Indian is to simply drop him and win the IPL here on.
The Baazigar of Indian Cinema and the co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders Shah Rukh Khan once said 'Haar ke jeetney waaley ko Baazigar kehtey hain'. A loose translation of that would be 'the one who loses and then wins is called a gambler'   - So, why doesn't KKR lose Narine and show us they can win without him?