‘Big Call’ Pathan Hints How KKR Solve Puzzle In Death Bowling

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made significant purchases at the IPL 2022 blockbuster auctions the previous month. They chose to enhance their pace bowling attack by recapturing Australian Test captain Pat Cummins, uncapped speedster Shivam Mavi, India Test expert Umesh Yadav, and many others. Unfortunately, the team did not keep one of its most destructive pacers, Lockie Ferguson.

Moreover, former iconic India speedster Irfan Pathan has stepped in to discuss how KKR can handle the puzzle piece of death bowling solutions in the forthcoming gala event. In the previous season, the 2 -time winners had the most wickets at the death overs, with 46. Kolkata took 29 scalps in the 2nd leg of the competition in the UAE, which was the highest of any team at an economy rate of 8.28.

Adding a couple of overs to Varun at the death overs will solve the puzzle: Pathan

“The question that needs to be asked about KKR is their death bowling and I think they can solve their puzzle by adding a couple of overs of Varun Chakravarthy at the death overs. It is a big call because you have Sunil Narine, whom you can actually bowl just after the powerplay, in the middle overs and, maybe, keep two overs for Varun, but also keep two overs for him in the death”, said Irfan Pathan.

“Then I think things become much easier. Shivam Mavi can bowl one over, Umesh Yadav can bowl one over. Maybe if Andre Russell is fit he can bowl two overs, but if you can find somewhere for Varun to bowl at the death it will look much better than what it is right now,” he added.

This season, the Kolkata-based team will be captained by India’s middle-order superstar, Shreyas Iyer. Mostly in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, he guided the Delhi Capitals to the playoffs and the decider. Despite finishing 7th in the 1st leg of the IPL 2021, a committed KKR squad delivered some standout results in the UAE leg and advanced to the finals, in which they were defeated by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

With a unique appearance this time, KKR will hope to move one step forward. However, KKR will kick off their IPL 2022 season versus defending champions CSK on March 26 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.