After becoming first team to qualify for Playoffs, KKR vice-captain Nitish Rana attributes their performance to confidence instilled, and faith in each other
KKR’s Nitish Rana during his 33 v MI in Kolkata on Saturday. Pic/AFP
It’s been an intriguing tale of two franchises, starkly highlighted on a rain-soaked night at the Eden Gardens. Kolkata Knight Riders stopped Mumbai Indians 18 runs short of their modest 16-over total of 157 for seven on Saturday for a rare ‘double’—the Knights had won at Wankhede as well.
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“We have to give credit to the KKR bowlers, particularly Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine. That’s where we got stuck,” said Piyush Chawla of MI’s collapse after cruising during the first half of the chase—much like when the two met in Mumbai.
Nitish Rana, back after a 10-match injury layoff, credited the new team ethos for the comebacks and their IPL-17 cruise. “The difference this year compared to the previous few years is the self-belief instilled in us and the trust we have in each other, a trust that tells us that even if I fail, someone else is going to do the job,” he said, giving credit to head coach Chandrakant Pandit and mentor Gautam Gambhir for lifting collective consciousness.
“It’s not possible for a player to be successful every match, but they always get the backing. Fielding me in such an important match after being out for so long is testimony to that,” added the southpaw, who said he spent a sleepless night. He contributed a crucial 23-ball 33.
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KKR too have had their bad days, and Rana spoke of the sombre mood in the dressing room after their 261 total fell to lowly Punjab Kings in a record chase. “We felt so bad, and I saw some guys didn’t eat,” remembered the KKR vice-captain. “We lose as a team and win as a team; it’s important to put a hand on each other’s shoulder. That was missing in the last few years,” felt the 30-year-old.
Chawla added Andre Russell to his kitty of crucial wickets. Is he missing a spin partner? “Our fast bowlers are doing a fantastic job. It’s not about another spinner from the other end but another bowler who is complementing you well,” stressed the leg-spinner.
“It’s about momentum and we didn’t get it; sometimes we batted well and haven’t bowled well. Sometimes, the other way round. It’s not that we were lacking in one department; it’s just that we failed as a unit,” he reasoned while dwelling on MI’s horrible season. “In big games, it’s the small moments that you’ll have to win as a team, and those we lost, as we did today,” Chawla pointed out.
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