KKR, the team that could go the full distance: After languishing at the bottom of the table for the first four years, they shot into prominence in 2012.
A completely rebuilt team under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir went on to win the maiden title in 2012 and what a win it was. They defeated the then reigning champions, Chennai Super Kings, who had won the title in the immediately preceding two years (2010 and 2011).
That was just the beginning. The rebuilt team had gelled together under Gambhir and with stalwarts like Jaques Kallis, Shakib al Hasan. all lent a lot of credence to the team effort.
KKR again went on to exercise their supremacy in the tournament in 2014 when they defeated the then title defenders, Mumbai Indians, in a hard fought battle.
The current team, with not many tinkering being made, comes across a well-knit unit under the able stewardship of Gambhir.
Another positive move has been to rope in the South African legend, Jaques Kallis, as the main coach of the team, in place of Trevor Bayliss, who had moved on.
Kallis has the advantage of being a key player in the team upto 2014 and then was attached to the team as the ‘batting consultant’, in the previous edition. He has full knowledge about the players and would play a key role alongside the skipper, in putting together the proper combination on the field.
He would also be a key member in drawing out strategies for the games and help the team with his experience, advice and guidance in ’troubled’ times.
Controversial West Indian spinner, Sunil Narine, who was ‘under a cloud’ also stands cleared for his actions from ICC after he had undergone remedial measures. Narine is an integral part of the Playing XI and his contribution with the ball would be immense.
ICC No1 ranked T20 all-rounder, Shaib al Hasan, who had played pivotal roles in quite a few victories for KKR in the previous years and who also had a reasonable outing in the Asia Cup 2016 and World T20 2016, on a personal level, is also a great force to reckon with.
Manish Pandey, the first Indian to register a century in IPL, and Yusuf Pathan, who single-handedly won the inaugural title for Rajasthan Royals, are clearly no ‘push-overs’.
The evergreen Robin Uthappa, is a prolific player both behind and in front of the stumps. Opening the innings alongwith his skipper, Gambhir, he could provide great starts that could be furthered by the middle order batsmen like Suryakumar Yadav.
At 45, the old war-horse, Brad Hogg is capable of causing quite a few setbacks for the opposition with his slow left arm ‘chinaman’. Hogg can also wield the bat and add to the ‘run kitty’ in the lower middle order.
In all, the squad seems to be a well knit and organised one, looking forward to cause an upset in this edition of IPL.
For those interested in numbers, KKR won the title in 2012, then in 2014, could be 2016 also.
