Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opening batsman Phil Salt shared his thoughts on the ongoing comparisons with former dynamic opener Chris Lynn, who had left a mark with the team. The English cricketer made a playful remark about the Australian’s looks compared to his own ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) match against the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Salt’s debut season for KKR has been nothing short of a dream run. The right-handed batsman has accumulated 435 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 182.04, with four half-centuries. These statistics mirror those of Lynn’s performances in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, in terms of both strike rate and runs scored. Lynn, the Australian opener, was renowned for his aggressive batting at the top of the order, forming a formidable partnership with Sunil Narine, a feat that Phil Salt has also achieved.
“That’s what I said, I’ve got more hair and a bit more lean muscle I’d say. Sorry Lynny. It’s a tough one because you want to come in and do well. Obviously Lynny did it for a few years here. I guess it’s just keeping it about myself really more than anything else. I want to perform to the best of my ability,” Salt said when asked about the comparisons with Lynn.
The upcoming match signifies Phil Salt’s last outing for KKR this season. He is scheduled to link up with the England squad in preparation for the series against Pakistan. His compatriots Jos Buttler, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, and Reece Topley have already left for England.
Phil Salt has competed alongside Chris Lynn for Team Abu Dhabi in the 2022 T10 Abu Dhabi League
The dynamic openers have previously been teammates while representing Team Abu Dhabi in the 2022 T10 Abu Dhabi League. Chris Lynn captained the team during that season, leading them to the playoffs but ultimately getting eliminated in the Eliminator match. The franchise also lost the third-place playoff.
During the tournament, Lynn amassed 176 runs from eight matches at a strike rate of 154.38. Meanwhile, Salt did not get many opportunities to bat due to the presence of his compatriots Alex Hales and James Vince at the top of the order.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.