KKR vs SRH: 'Shreyas Iyer deserves credit' - WV Raman on Gautam Gambhir stealing credit for KKR's IPL 2024 success
Published - 26 May 2024, 04:43 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:12 AM
Former Indian cricketer WV Raman recently compared the current Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team to the side led by Gautam Gambhir in the 2014 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. WV Raman pointed out the similarity between the two sides and highlighted the efficient utilization of resources by both teams.
Shreyas Iyer returned to lead the Kolkata Knight Riders after missing the previous edition due to injury. The Knight Riders finished at the top of the points table, with 20 points in 14 matches. The KKR team suffered just three losses in the league, and their last two league matches were washed out due to rain.
The two-time IPL champions continued their winning run in the playoff matches. The Kolkata-based franchise defeated SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the "Qualifier 1" match to become the first team to reach the final match. They chased down a target of 160 runs with eight wickets and 38 deliveries to spare.
Sunil Narine Opening Is Another Similarity - WV Raman
In a conversation with RevSportz ahead of the final, WV Raman stated that Sunil Narine opening the batting was a feature in both the 2014 KKR side and the 2024 KKR unit. Raman emphasized Narine's contribution as a key factor for KKR, stating that KKR's batting truly begins after Narine.
"The core was strong at that point in time. It is very similar in the sense that KKR are making optimum use of the resources available back then and now. Sunil Narine opening is another similarity. His pyrotechnics are not only entertaining but also a major threat as far as the batting is concerned. When he is done is where KKR’s batting starts. They have a few big hitters in the middle order," Raman told RevSportz.
Gautam Gambhir’s Captaincy Was Really Good - WV Raman
WV Raman highlighted the greatness of Gautam Gambhir's captaincy in 2014, describing him as one of the best captains in IPL history. However, Raman also praised Shreyas Iyer's leadership for KKR, stating that Iyer has done an excellent job as captain.
"In 2014, a lot was spoken about Gautam Gambhir’s captaincy, which was really good. He is one of the best captains the IPL has seen so far, and again, let’s not forget the fact that Shreyas Iyer as captain has done a grand job. In a bid to find similarities, we tend to overlook the fact that Shreyas has been brilliant. He deserves the credit. This season is something he will look back with great pride and sense of achievement," he added.
Gautam Gambhir is the last captain to guide the Kolkata Knight Riders to a title victory in the IPL. The former Indian opener led the KKR team in 122 IPL games from 2011 to 2017, winning 69 of them. Gambhir, currently serving as KKR mentor, led the team to victory in two IPL seasons, in 2012 and 2014.
Shreyas Iyer has been in impressive form, scoring 345 runs in 13 games at an average of 38.33 and a strike rate of 146.19. His best score of 58 runs came against SunRisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1. The final match against SRH will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, May 26.
