KKR vs RR: As A Captain, You Just Have To Give Umesh Yadav The Ball - Shreyas Iyer

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer was a relieved man after his team managed to snap its 5-match losing streak and defeat Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 7 wickets in Mumbai on Monday.

After restricting RR to 152/5 in 20 overs, Kolkata chased it down with important contributions from Iyer himself, Nitish Rana, and the ever-improving Rinku Singh. They moved up to the 7th spot on the points table with the win. Speaking about the bowling attack and Umesh Yadav in particular at the post-match presentation ceremony, Iyer said:

“Right from the powerplay when our bowlers conceded just 36 runs and took a wicket, it was just the start we needed. We have been talking about Umesh right from the start. He has increased his pace, bowls those hard lengths, and as a captain you just have to give him the ball to deliver.”

“Whenever I give Sunil Narine the ball, he gets me wickets, but the batsmen don’t take chances against him. He is very economical, but when he gets a wicket, he gets a big one.”

“Rinku Singh is a great asset for the franchise in the future” – Shreyas Iyer

Iyer went on to lavish praise on the 24-year-old Rinku Singh, who has played three valuable knocks in the middle order. On Monday, he scored an exquisite 23-ball 42 to help KKR chase down the target of 153 with 7 wickets to spare.

“The way Rinku is maintaining his calm, playing only his second or third game, is outstanding. He is a great asset for the franchise in the future. The way he gets his stays, he doesn’t look like a newcomer.”

“We are looking for a good start. I love pressure, but it sweats a lot of me to build the innings in every game. Before the start of the game, I told Mavi, Rinku, and Anukul to take the tough positions in the field. Mavi’s catch of Buttler was superb,” Iyer further added.

Rajasthan’s loss is their second on the bounce and they remain in 3rd spot. They will need to regroup quickly as the league stage is coming to an end.

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