Top 5 reasons for KKR's success in IPL 5
Shah Rukh Khan might be having a tough time in the fifth season of the Indian Premier League, be it he being served a notice for smoking in public or his ban from entering the Wankhede Stadium, but his team Kolkata Knight Riders is enjoying its best season under Gautam Gambhir. But how have they managed to turn their fortunes? Here are five reasons for their successful run in IPL 5.
Shah Rukh Khan might be having a tough time in the fifth season of the Indian Premier League, be it he being served a notice for smoking in public or his ban from entering the Wankhede Stadium, but his team Kolkata Knight Riders is enjoying its best season under Gautam Gambhir. But how have they managed to turn their fortunes? Here are five reasons for their successful run in IPL 5.
1. Overall Bowling Performance & Sunil Narine
The biggest reason why KKR find themselves at Number 2 on the points table this season though is their exceptional bowling display. Their bowlers have kept the team going, giving away the least number of runs.
The icing on the cake, of course, has been Sunil Narine's incredible bowling. With 22 wickets at an incredible economy rate of 5.14, Narine has been KKR's biggest match winner this season.
2. Gambhir's Captaincy And Batting
One of the key reasons for Kolkata's success this season has been Gautam Gambhir's astute captaincy. Gauti has been a no nonsense skipper ever since he took over last season. With over 550 runs, Gambhir has been leading from the front. He is also KKR's leading run scorer this season.
3. Good Fielding
The third reason for their success is their good fielding. The Knight Riders have not made too many high scores, which has meant that the fielding has had to be top notch. According to Virender Sehwag, what made the difference in KKR's 6-wicket triumph in the league stage was Kolkata's superior fielding.
4. Domestic Players
The contribution of domestic players like Debabrata Das, Manvinder Bisla, Rajat Bhatia and Iqbal Abdulla has added to KKR's success. Gambhir has shown immense faith in them and encouraged them at every step, like when he gave his Man of the Match award vs Chennai to Das for taking Kolkata home.
5. Coach Counts
Last but not the least, the reason for KKR's success is their new coach Trevor Bayliss. The former Sri Lankan coach picked-up from where Dav Whatmore had left last season. Is it his behind the scenes strategies and battle plans that have taken Kolkata where they have never been in the IPL before?