IPL 2021: ‘He offers a huge amount of support to me’ – Eoin Morgan opens up on the role of former captain Dinesh Karthik
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Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik
Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders had a disappointing season last time around. They were considered to be the top contender to lift the trophy instead they couldn’t even manage to qualify for the playoffs. On paper, they looked like a solid squad and had all the bases covered, but lack of consistency and planning in the management were the reasons for their failure.
The Knight Riders had a change in their leadership as Dinesh Karthik stepped down as the captain in the middle of the season. Eoin Morgan was then named the captain of the side but was unable to deliver immediately. Ahead of his first game of the season, Morgan opened up about Karthik’s role in the side.
“DK offers a lot with the bat and behind the stumps. He has been in fine form, and he is always one of those players who if you watch him train and particularly bat, he times the ball beautifully and hits the ball further than most of the guys. He offers a huge amount of support to me on the pitch and off the field as well. Very grateful that he is in good form and in our team,” Morgan told kkr.in.
“Shakib Al Hasan gives us a different dynamic for KKR,” Eoin Morgan
KKR roped in some exciting talents in this season’s auction. The auction also saw Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hassan return to the the franchise after quite some time. Morgan is excited to have the southpaw in the side and feels that his inclusion adds to the depth of the side.
“Given that we have a bit more travel this year and we go from venue to venue, it’s important to have strength and depth in the squad. Shakib Al Hasan gives us a different dynamic in the team. Given that we play at different venues where the conditions change quite a lot, you have a spin bowling all-rounder who had success in international cricket and IPL at different stages. If called upon, he can definitely deliver.“
The last season saw Sunil Narine fail miserably with the bat. But his comeback as KKR’s go to bowler in the tough situations has impressed captain Morgan. The Englishman is in awe of Narine’s belief on the side. It will be interesting to see if the West Indian finds a place in the side with Shakib in the mix too.
“The IPL is such a competitive tournament with the smallest of margins that can make a big difference, particularly in the playoff stages. For me, when I was a young kid coming through as a professional and looking to guys who had either won things or had a different attitude regardless of the situation of the game, they would always have a positive body language, or they would always be doing something to affect the game. Shakib and Sunil are no different.“
“In big moments of the game, particularly last year, you would throw Sunil the ball or you would get him in with the bat because he has been in that situation over and over again; he believes in himself and in the team to go and get through and win that situation,” he added.
KKR kick off their season today against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chennai.
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Anshuman Mahapatra
(1496 Articles Published)