Aakash Chopra also mentioned the form of KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer as a possible problem. Throughout the season, the gifted right-hand hitter has managed to score 287 runs at an average of 31.88.
After finishing first in the IPL 2024 points standings, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will play Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1. Aakash Chopra, a former Indian opener, thinks KKR may encounter difficulties in their quest for an IPL triple crown.
Phil Salt, the English opener, will be absent, which will be KKR’s largest obstacle. With 435 runs in 12 games, the hard-hitting hitter was KKR’s second-highest run scorer. He and Sunil Narine combined to provide reliable top-order starts. In order to play in the four-match T20I series against Pakistan, Salt traveled back to England.
“There might be a single issue, for sure. Phil Salt has been a major factor in this team’s success this season. When he would start a match with Sunil Narine, the opposition would often find it extremely difficult to recover from a sudden disadvantage. On his YouTube channel, Chopra stated, “Phil Salt isn’t there anymore.
The fact that Shreyas Iyer hasn’t scored many runs this year is the second issue: Aakash Chopra
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, an Afghan wicketkeeper-batter, is most likely to replace Salt. The 22-year-old, who was a member of the Gujarat Titans (GT), has experience playing at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. Chopra, though, questioned if Gurbaz could match Salt’s explosive effect at the top of the hierarchy.
“His replacement is Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The fact that Rahmanullah Gurbaz was formerly a member of the Gujarat Titans is one thing that works in his favor. He has therefore already played on these pitches and at this ground, even if he didn’t have many opportunities when playing for Gujarat,” Chopra continued.
“Shreyas Iyer hasn’t scored many runs this year, which is the second issue. While everyone around him appears to be a rocket launcher, he has acted more like an anchor. He went so far as to say that this time he plays an anchor. Thus, he is serving as the anchor, although the season hasn’t gone as planned,” he continued.
Concerns were also raised by Chopra regarding the paucity of runs by Rinku Singh (168 runs at 18.66) and Mitchell Starc’s patchy play, the Australian pacer taking 12 wickets at an average of 11.36 an over.
Still, his squad has accomplished a great deal in spite of it. The third issue is that Rinku Singh hasn’t had a lot of opportunities or runs scored. Mitchell Starc’s form has been 50/50 aside from that, Chopra said.
Also Read: Gambhir Warned of Backlash for Replacing Ganguly as KKR Skipper
Even though they won the table, KKR has some concerning form problems that SRH may highlight in Qualifier 1. In their lone league encounter, the two sides were evenly matched; KKR prevailed by a margin of four runs. While the loser gets another shot in Qualifier 2 against the champions of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Eliminator match, the victor of Qualifier 1 advances directly to the final.
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