Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir. (Credits: BCCI)

IPL 2020 is all set to enter its business phase but Kolkata Knight Riders are still struggling to finalise their batting lineup. Their ploy to open the innings with Sunil Narine seems to have run its course and the middle-order is looking far from being settled either.

Andre Russell has been already promoted on a number of occasions this year but it has not paid dividends. Captain Dinesh Karthik’s poor form with the bat is not helping the team’s cause either. And as KKR are struggling to finalise their batting lineup, their former captain Gautam Gambhir has come up with some suggestions.

Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik (Credits: Twitter)

The former India batsman, who led KKR to two IPL titles, wants Narine to slide down the order and bat at eight or nine. He stated that Rahul Tripathi should bat up the order while Karthik should bat bat at number six after Eoin Morgan and Russell.

“Rahul Tripathi goes up the order, Dinesh Karthik plays at No. 6, not before Morgan and not before Russell as well,” Gautam Gambhir told ESPNCricinfo. “Probably Sunil Narine goes to bat at eight or nine. If Morgan bats at four and Russell at five, that’s the right position for both of them and Dinesh Karthik to follow.”

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Gautam Gambhir’s comments came after KKR suffered a 18-run defeat at the hands of Delhi Capitals on Saturday. Chasing an improbable 229, the two-time champions finished on 210. Russell was promoted at number four but he managed only 13 while Karthik, who came out to bat at number five, managed just 6.

Eoin Morgan
Eoin Morgan (Credits: Twitter)

Morgan and Tripathi then revived KKR’s chase by slamming 44 and 36 runs respectively. Their batting positions, however, baffled many. Morgan, who is one of the best limited-overs batsmen in the world, batted at number six while Tripathi, who is primarily a top-order batsman, batted at number eight.

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