Watch: Dhruv Jurel takes a screamer to dismiss Venkatesh Iyer during KKR vs RR clash

Updated - 16 Apr 2024, 10:21 PM

Venkatesh Iyer and Dhruv Jurel
Venkatesh Iyer and Dhruv Jurel {PC:X}

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Venkatesh Iyer didn't have a great outing with the bat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against Rajasthan Royals. The 31st game of the tournament between the teams is taking place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. 

Venkatesh Iyer was demoted down the order in the game against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2024 due to the carnage by Sunil Narine at the top. The all-rounder tried to get going from the start as he had only that option. But it didn't pay off for him at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. 

Venkatesh Iyer tried to get going but didn't get his timing correct. During the second ball of the 20th over, Kuldeep Sen bowled a full ball wide outside off. The batter tried to slice it with the lofted stroked over extra cover and it seemed that ball would fall in no man's land at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. 

However, Dhruv Jurel produced a magnificent effort with the bat. The keeper-batter, who was in the deep, moved to his left and ran in. If this was not enough, he then got low to take a brilliant catch. What caught the attention of many despite the fielder coming in from covers he did well to focus completely on the ball.  

Here's the video: 

Venkatesh Iyer played an innings of 8 runs off 6 balls. He scored just one boundary in his innings. After he fell, the Kolkata Knight Riders lost their 6th wicket but Rinku Singh made sure that he finished the innings for his team at high at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. 

Rinku Singh scored an unbeaten 20 runs off 9 runs. But the main contributor for the bat for Kolkata Knight Riders was Sunil Narine. The batter brought up his first century in the league and ended with an innings of 109 runs off 56 balls. He batted with a strike rate of over 194 and also hit 13 fours and 6 sixes in his knock. 

Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30), batting at No.3, made a valiant contribution as well, and based on the collective effort Kolkata Knight Riders posted a big total of 223 runs on the board at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. For Rajasthan Royals, Avesh Khan and Kuldeep Sen picked two wickets each. 

Gautam Gambhir gave me the confidence and his assurance that I'll open the batting - Sunil Narine on his hundred 

Sunil Narine opened up about his innings with the bat against Rajasthan Royals. He said that Gautam Gambhir gave him the confidence and assurance. He also talked about his mindset and believes that early wickets will be key for his team in the second innings. He explained: 

"At the start of the season if anyone had told him he'd be in the race for the Orange cap) I would have taken it as a joke because I haven't opened in such a long time or done much with the bat in the years past. (Opening this year) With GG (Gambhir) coming back, he gave me the confidence and his assurance that I'll open the batting. 

"The job is just to go out there and try to give a good start, whatever the situation is, still keep going because if you try to face dot balls in the powerplay, it could hurt you in the backend. So just go there and try to give your team a good start. We have an understanding about it, it's not going to be easy (bowling here), we have to make use of the powerplay, pick up early wickets and make sure that we control in the middle and try to restrict them," he concluded.

Tagged:

IPL 2024 Indian Premier League Kolkata Knight Riders KKR Rajasthan Royals RR Dhruv Jurel Venkatesh Iyer