Indian Premier League 2024 | Shreyas Iyer’s comeback in spotlight in Starc vs Cummins showdown
The Hindu
Indian Premier League 2024 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata on March 23, 2024
Shreyas Iyer's comeback from a long injury layoff will be in focus as IPL's two biggest signings, Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, go head to head in Kolkata Knight Riders' opening match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata on March 23.
The Indian batter, after missing the entire season last year due to a back injury, returns to lead KKR, who have made some tactical additions while keeping the nucleus of the side intact.
Shreyas sparkled with the bat with a 95 in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy triumph recently but it remains to be seen whether he'll be available for all the matches, given his fitness concerns.
KKR's most successful leader Gautam Gambhir is back in his second innings as a mentor. His partnership with head coach Chandrakant Pandit, a shrewd tactician in domestic circuit, will be the key to their revival.
"This is your franchise, make it or break it," team principal owner Shah Rukh Khan has told Gambhir. Under the former India cricketer's captaincy, KKR had a golden run from 2011-2017 — two IPL titles, five playoffs and a runners-up finish in the now defunct Champions League T20 tournament.
The biggest signing of this IPL is with KKR, and by acquiring Starc at a record sum of ₹24.75-crore, the left-arm quick will be under huge pressure to perform.
His spell in power-play and the death overs will be the key. Starc and Andre Russell are the only two experienced pacers in KKR's ranks, and with no like-for-like replacements for them, their workload management will be crucial.
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