KKR vs SRH Preview: Bowlers in focus as both sides search for Plan B
Both Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad face a daunting challenge after high-scoring opening losses, struggling with bowling frailties and missing key players. Their bowling attacks were heavily punished, forcing coaches to rethink team combinations. KKR's middle order also showed weakness, while SRH conceded heavily in the Powerplay.
Expect changes as both teams aim for a turnaround.
KOLKATA: What can be considered a safe total? That question would be haunting the Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of their clash at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. They would have been happy putting up more than 200 runs in their opening games of the season, but despite that they ended up as the losing sides.
It’s hard to digest, but harder to find a way out. Both teams are struggling to get a Plan B in place after losing some key players even before the first ball was bowled in this IPL. Interestingly, it’s their bowling that has taken the worst hit, which made KKR coach Abhishek Nayar and his SRH counterpart Daniel Vettori’s jobs more difficult in getting the right team combination.
All the six bowlers used by the sides in their opening match were taken to the cleaners by the rival batters. KKR have always banked on their spinners and in the absence of their key pacers Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana, who is yet to join the side, the role of Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine turned out to be more crucial. Missing Cameron Green the bowler definitely deprived the side of an option, but KKR’s spin duo going for 78 runs in their combined seven overs against Mumbai Indians should be a bigger concern for them.