Matheesha Pathirana's return on hold despite him joining the KKR camp ahead of their game against SRH

Despite Matheesha Pathirana's return, KKR management and bowling coach Tim Southee remain tight-lipped over the Sri Lankan pacer's return to the IPL ahead of their game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The Kolkata Knight Riders could not make the best start to this edition of the IPL, as they have managed to win only two of their eight matches this season. After eight matches in this year's contest, they are in eighth position, having secured five points.

The Knight Riders, after a lagging start, have finally gained some positive rhythm as they have won their last two games against two major fronts, including the Rajasthan Royals and the staggering contest against the Lucknow Super Giants.

Tim Southee remains silent over Matheesha Pathirana's immediate inclusion into the KKR XI

With some of the players slowly gaining form in the KKR camp, the three-time champions have some other major good news as well. Matheesha Pathirana has finally joined the KKR camp and is all set to make a move.

KKR bowling coach Tim Southee has kept the door open for Matheesha Pathirana's long-awaited return and his inclusion in the KKR playing XI. However, he has also mentioned that his inclusion would depend on team balance and the conditions offered at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Southee announced that he has returned for the Knight Riders and has been training alongside the group. “Yes, he’s arrived. He’s been around the group for a little bit now,” Southee said.

“We’ll look at conditions and make a decision on the side that we think is best for tomorrow’s game. He’s been bowling well at training, and it’s great to have him a part of the side,” he added.

What reform can Matheesha Pathirana bring to the KKR bowling deck?

The update seemed natural as Pathirana was not immediately available for selections. However, KKR did not lose hope and was constantly in touch with the Sri Lankan Cricket Association, keeping track of the recovery of the 23-year-old.

His inclusion into the team was made with the KKR side looking to strengthen their death bowling, while the likes of Harshit Rana and Akash Deep were picked to operate with the new ball. However, the Lankan pacer missed the initial matches, and the two other Indian pacers have missed the entire season.

With Kartik Tyagi operating well in the middle overs and Vaibhav Arora good with the new ball, KKR's campaign can be better if they pick a good bowler in the death overs, which was a concern noted over many games.

Pathirana to be subjected to massive test against the in-form SRH batting unit

However, whether Matheesha Pathirana could really be the solution to the several problems marked for the Knight Riders is something to look out for this season. He will be subjected to a massive test if he is brought into the XI against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The SRH have a very dominant batting order comprising inform batters like Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, and Ishan Kishan, and now Travis Head has also shown glimpses of good form. They have played the highest brand of aggressive cricket this season.

Matheesha Pathirana is a genuine wicket-taker with the old ball and is effective in the death, delivering yorkers with sublime accuracy. However, Pathirana's lack of control would be a massive concern as he has the habit of bowling extras. He would hence need some matches for sure to settle this season and adapt to that bowling order.

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