Old Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Eoin Morgan feels that the team's ongoing batting failures have cost the franchise heavily during this IPL season. Talking post-KKR's 39-run loss to Gujarat Titans (GT) at Eden Gardens on Monday, Morgan judged the tactical adaptations adopted by the franchise as inefficient.
The defeat was KKR's second in as many games, their third in the past five games, and their fifth overall in eight matches. Most concerning has been their home record, with three defeats in four games at the historic Eden Gardens.
"Kolkata Knight Riders have not recovered the way we had hoped. That's typically a sign of a deep team with character, but they've kept repeating the same errors," Morgan, now a JioStar cricket pundit, said.
Speaking of the shift in putting some momentum into the batting to counter GT, Morgan said, "They attempted to inject some momentum into the lineup, but it did not work. In hindsight, they will accept those changes did not pay off."
KKR scored just 159 for eight on a score of 199, with no significant partnerships being built during the inning.
Describing the conditions, Morgan stated, "Ajinkya Rahane said 199 was chaseable, but we observed the pitch eased off at the back end of GT's innings. The ball wasn't coming on as we had anticipated, so boundary-hitting became a bit difficult."
He further stated, "There was no rhythm in their chase, no big partnerships — a contrast to Gujarat's innings."
Morgan also praised GT pacer Prasidh Krishna, who extended his purple patch with the returns of 4-0-25-2, solidifying his position as the tournament's highest wicket-taker.
"He's the purple cap leader and is bowling in great rhythm. That extra pace, particularly in the middle overs, is a dream for any captain. He's in the lead by a considerable distance now, and his development across formats is excellent," Morgan observed.
On the batting front, former India player Ambati Rayudu heaped praise on GT’s B Sai Sudharsan, whose 36-ball 52 took his season tally past the 400-run mark.
“It’s a pleasure watching him bat,” said Rayudu. “He plays traditional cricket — using the pace, playing under his eyes, and keeping the ball along the ground. Smart cricket brings runs and confidence, and Sudharsan exemplifies that beautifully.”
Read also| Rohit Sharma’s Self-Dropping from Sydney Test Sparks Split Between Gambhir and Agarkar
