At 57/3, it seemed it seemed like an action replay of the previous match. Kolkata Knight Riders had got off to a good start again, just like the last time, but had been pegged back. Chennai’s spinners were just warming up. Were KKR going to falter yet again? The target was higher this time.
No way, announced Robin Uthappa empathically. In the last game, he had batted like a dream, almost gliding to 39 before a sharp catch at mid-wicket ended it for him. There would be no repeat this time. Kolkata had failed to chase down 134 just two days ago, but this time, Uthappa and Andre Russell put their heads down and put on a 113-run partnership, pacing the chase expertly for KKR. This was a victory the Kolkata Knight Riders desperately needed and it pleased the Eden Garrdens crowd no end.
The Magician At 44
The IPL can leave you spellbound at times. On Wednesday it was Sarfaraz Khan, a 17-year-old who stole the show. On Thursday a man 27 years his senior demonstrated that age really is just a number.
The cloud over Sunil Narine must have affected KKR, but Brad Hogg’s performance would have soothed Kolkata’s nerves. Narine has been their magician, their talisman in recent triumphs, but if Hogg continues this level of performance, Narine will not be missed.
Chennai were on fire when Hogg was introduced into the attack – 64 for 2 in 5 overs, a run rate of more than 12. It was a brave call by Gambhir to bring Hogg into the attack, especially just before the powerplay, against a murderous McCullum.
Not many bowlers bowl a left-arm chinaman. Hogg is unique that way, and he bamboozled Chennai’s top order. McCullum missed a straighter one and was adjudged lbw, but du Plessis’s dismissal was a typical left-arm spinner’s victory – the batsman completely misread Hogg and found himself stranded down the wicket.
The cat was among the pigeons. CSK looked panic-stricken – they were unable to pick Hogg at all and were all at sea against him. At the other end, Dhoni was undone by a googly from Chawla even before he got in. Jadeja and Bravo were having difficulty reading him, but to their credit, they stuck in without giving their wickets away.
Hogg came back strongly in his final over, picking up Jadeja and preventing Negi from doing any more damage. At 44, the man has boundless energy and the smile is never far from his face. Who said T20 is just a young man’s game?
The Uthappa-Russell tango
You could almost feel the sigh of relief when Russell walked out at the fall of the fifth wicket. It’s normally Yusuf Pathan’s turn, but, wisely, KKR pushed Russell up the order.
At the other end, Uthappa was his usual stylish self. Uthappa is a bit like Rohit Sharma – he’ll score the most stylish 30s but will often give it away with a loose shot. He was KKR’s highest run-getter last season and had played a big part in the team’s ultimate victory.
Today, Uthappa and Russell steeled themselves for the long haul. Around the halfway mark of KKR’s innings, Uthappa was scoring at just more than run-a-ball. The required run rate had crossed 10 – the squeeze had started.
The great thing about Uthappa is that he can get runs without taking risks. Russell had just pushed up a gear, clobbering two consecutive fours over Bravo, but the equation still looked difficult with 63 required off 36. Uthappa then, as coolly as you like, hit Nehra over his head for six. The next two balls demonstrated his intelligent cricketing brain – Uthappa guessed that Nehra would bowl outside off and expertly guided it to third-man to pick up a boundary. Nehra then brought up third-man and decided to go around the wicket. Uthappa played the same shot, but just played it a bit squarer, squeezing it into the gap between third man and point to get another four and seal the deal for KKR.
Andre Russell is fast doing what Kieron Pollard used to do for the Mumbai Indians. A livewire on the field, he is also a handy bowler on these pitches. But it’s with his bat that he is closing games. Unlike Yusuf Pathan the other day, Russell has an intimidating aura - Chennai’s bowlers forgot their lines to him and were duly punished. His savage 55 off 32 balls converted a tricky chase into a saunter.
The problem with KKR has always been consistency. They’ve not been able to string together successive victories and build momentum. Can this win against the table-toppers start a run of victories for Gambhir’s men?
No way, announced Robin Uthappa empathically. In the last game, he had batted like a dream, almost gliding to 39 before a sharp catch at mid-wicket ended it for him. There would be no repeat this time. Kolkata had failed to chase down 134 just two days ago, but this time, Uthappa and Andre Russell put their heads down and put on a 113-run partnership, pacing the chase expertly for KKR. This was a victory the Kolkata Knight Riders desperately needed and it pleased the Eden Garrdens crowd no end.
The Magician At 44
The IPL can leave you spellbound at times. On Wednesday it was Sarfaraz Khan, a 17-year-old who stole the show. On Thursday a man 27 years his senior demonstrated that age really is just a number.
The cloud over Sunil Narine must have affected KKR, but Brad Hogg’s performance would have soothed Kolkata’s nerves. Narine has been their magician, their talisman in recent triumphs, but if Hogg continues this level of performance, Narine will not be missed.
Chennai were on fire when Hogg was introduced into the attack – 64 for 2 in 5 overs, a run rate of more than 12. It was a brave call by Gambhir to bring Hogg into the attack, especially just before the powerplay, against a murderous McCullum.
Not many bowlers bowl a left-arm chinaman. Hogg is unique that way, and he bamboozled Chennai’s top order. McCullum missed a straighter one and was adjudged lbw, but du Plessis’s dismissal was a typical left-arm spinner’s victory – the batsman completely misread Hogg and found himself stranded down the wicket.
The cat was among the pigeons. CSK looked panic-stricken – they were unable to pick Hogg at all and were all at sea against him. At the other end, Dhoni was undone by a googly from Chawla even before he got in. Jadeja and Bravo were having difficulty reading him, but to their credit, they stuck in without giving their wickets away.
Hogg came back strongly in his final over, picking up Jadeja and preventing Negi from doing any more damage. At 44, the man has boundless energy and the smile is never far from his face. Who said T20 is just a young man’s game?
The Uthappa-Russell tango
You could almost feel the sigh of relief when Russell walked out at the fall of the fifth wicket. It’s normally Yusuf Pathan’s turn, but, wisely, KKR pushed Russell up the order.
At the other end, Uthappa was his usual stylish self. Uthappa is a bit like Rohit Sharma – he’ll score the most stylish 30s but will often give it away with a loose shot. He was KKR’s highest run-getter last season and had played a big part in the team’s ultimate victory.
Today, Uthappa and Russell steeled themselves for the long haul. Around the halfway mark of KKR’s innings, Uthappa was scoring at just more than run-a-ball. The required run rate had crossed 10 – the squeeze had started.
The great thing about Uthappa is that he can get runs without taking risks. Russell had just pushed up a gear, clobbering two consecutive fours over Bravo, but the equation still looked difficult with 63 required off 36. Uthappa then, as coolly as you like, hit Nehra over his head for six. The next two balls demonstrated his intelligent cricketing brain – Uthappa guessed that Nehra would bowl outside off and expertly guided it to third-man to pick up a boundary. Nehra then brought up third-man and decided to go around the wicket. Uthappa played the same shot, but just played it a bit squarer, squeezing it into the gap between third man and point to get another four and seal the deal for KKR.
Andre Russell is fast doing what Kieron Pollard used to do for the Mumbai Indians. A livewire on the field, he is also a handy bowler on these pitches. But it’s with his bat that he is closing games. Unlike Yusuf Pathan the other day, Russell has an intimidating aura - Chennai’s bowlers forgot their lines to him and were duly punished. His savage 55 off 32 balls converted a tricky chase into a saunter.
The problem with KKR has always been consistency. They’ve not been able to string together successive victories and build momentum. Can this win against the table-toppers start a run of victories for Gambhir’s men?
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!