Rajat Subhra Chatterjee
0033
Let me keep things straight. I am not at all a die hard for KKR. It’s the game of Cricket that I enjoy and watch IPL – not for any particular team but may be at times for one or two particular cricketers. Like David Warner, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Kuldeep Jadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rabada, Jadeja, Md. Shami, Umran Malik and like that.
KKR’s undoing in the ongoing 2022 league notwithstanding, it is the basic thing that T20 cricket demands – improvisation – is missing very much from their game. During last 14 years, couple of times excepting when Goutam Gambhir’s personal batting efficiency coupled with his terrific hunger for success won the Knights titles, but apart from that it’s been gloom all through.
If I were the Boss of KKR, what I would do ? A wish list.
1. Remove the CEO of KKR as he neither understands Cricket nor he seems to be knowing anything regarding business. He might suit the KKR owner the way the company is being run. Fine. But a cricket team based company must look into the Fan aspect. Without Fan support, no game in the world can click and sustain. KKR’s main problem has been sustainability.
2. Change the team colour. The black and now the deep violet is so horrible that the jersey itself emits negative vibes all through in contrast to Chennai, Rajasthan, Gujarat and others. It is neither smart nor bright that some kind of positivity would emit. A cricketer donning KKR jersey becomes somewhat mindfully low as have been proved by many when they are striking big as soon as they have left this jersey.
3. Never bring in a ‘I know everything’ coach like John Buchanan neither bring in a docile back bencher like McCullum. John, though had worked with the Australians, has been a much maligned and thus condemned coach in this part of the world. IPL teams are consisting only four overseas players in the playing XI. A coach has to handle mostly with Indians. So Indian psyche has to be absorbed and tuning has to be as per the requirements. Brendon has been a prolific batter in limited version yet he has never been a players’ man as a result he remains in the back bench which he prefers. No no, a team revolves round its front line motivators, if we look at other successful teams.
4. Would invite as support staff, successful proven front runners like Fleming, Sachin, Lara, Ponting, Dale Steyn, Gary Kirsten, Jayawardene, Muralitharan, Goutam Gambhir, Kumar Sangakara and not third rated like David Hasi or ‘never a coach’ like Brendon McCullum. Some one unknown or untried may bring in success but largely that success would be dependent on player performances mainly.
5. A proven front runner as Head or Mentor of the team would radically and dramatically change the attitude of the team from ‘ may be ’ to ‘ must be ’. The champions are born but they must have been given opportunities to show their talents. Hunger in belly is the key word for any champion. Not everyone would be expected to be Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara. But sheer will force can take some one very far if that is blended with some talents. Example is Goutam Gambhir.
6. Would have 4/5 local cricketers from Bengal which would have created a huge attachment and bonding and would have blended in top show. Cricketers from Bengal in fact have been showing for other franchises in great fashion. Most of the franchises are having local talents pushed into the playing XI. That is one of the mottos of the IPL !
7. Would have put astute leadership in front in picking and retaining correct match winners. Apart from solid bench strength, the playing XI must be equally distributed and flexible to suit for plan A or plan B or Plan C. KKR seems to be having no such plan !
8. Would have first picked a wicketkeeper who would be automatic choice. Not that some one who could manage. This is a special job and special person is needed.
9. Would have any time gone the Australian way. Means pick up the best team that we can and then select the team captain. Shreyas Iyer is a good captain after Goutam Gambhir. In fact KKR in 2022 is just a one man team, that is Iyer. He is the only ‘Sure’ cricketer who holds himself. All others are very much ‘ unsure ’ cricketers. Not a single cricketer are there in the team who seems to be confident of himself or may be over confident. This is being uttered keeping very much in mind that cricket is just a one ball game.
10. Lastly, would have ensured physical support from the very Top in the team what works magic. In KKR, the Top appears only in patches and that too only during celebration parties if and when the team wins.
Fortune fluctuates. Form goes off. Mentality gets fatigued. Top teams go down as has been the case in this IPL. Mumbai, Chennai are running in the lower rung. Understandable. But not like KKR who seems to be having no clue at all what to do? That is where leadership comes in to play. KKR has been lacking leadership right from the top and right from the beginning.
Featured Image : Courtesy Internet
