Last Update on: October 2nd, 2021 at 10:26 am
Former West Indian batsman Brian Lara supported out-of-form Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batsman, Shubman Gill, and reckoned he will come good very soon. Lara also believes dropping Gill should not be an option that KKR can consider.
Gill has had starts in a couple of matches but he has failed to kick on in the second leg of the IPL 2021 being held in the UAE. His partner, Venkatesh Iyer, on the other hand, has been stealing all the limelight with his sublime performances so far.
“Gill is a bit unlucky and if you look at him bat, he is in some form. I believe he is just a match away from a big score. He gels really well with Iyer (Venkatesh) and I believe that both of them can take KKR to new heights. Replacing Gill now is not something that KKR should consider,” Lara said.
“Their batting is the one thing they depended on in the past” – Brian Lara on Punjab Kings
As for the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Lara suggested that they need to put a big score on the board since their bowling is a bit weak. PBKS is quite strong in their batting lineup with the likes of KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran but without big totals, it will be hard for them, as per Lara.
“I think their team has the capability even though they are not playing great cricket at the moment. Their batting has just always been their strength and that has come up very short. Nicholas Pooran and Chris Gayle have not been playing well.”
“Even their captain KL Rahul has not been in good form since the resumption. Their batting is the one thing that they depended on in the past where they posted big totals and tried to defend it. But if they don’t post big runs on the board, they find it very difficult with the bowling attack that they have,” Lara added.
The young leg-spinner, Ravi Bishnoi, has impressed plenty of people and is one to look out for the future. He gives the PBKS side an edge in the middle overs while Arshdeep Singh and Mohammad Shami can do well in the death overs.
“Ravi Bishnoi is performing well and Mohammad Shami as you know is a professional and they expect that from him. Their batting has to be clicking and if they do click they give themselves that slight chance. It does not mean that they can pull it off but they give themselves a better chance than they have been giving themselves in recent matches,” Lara concluded.
PBKS defeated KKR by 5 wickets on Friday night which took them to fifth place on the points table. They will be up against Virat Kohli’s RCB on Sunday in their next match.
Also Read – IPL 2021: Dropped Catches Have Cost Us – KKR Skipper Eoin Morgan After 5-Wicket Loss To PBKS
