Abu Dhabi: Wary of playing in the twilight period in some matches during the upcoming IPL, two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are making sure they get used to the conditions in the UAE. Bulk of the matches will start at 6.00pm local time. It is the time when the twilight factor will come into play. KKR assistant coach Abhishek Nayar said the team want to ensure that players are ready for the challenge.
“We have a lot of evening games coming up. So we are keeping that in mind. The fact is that the games here will start at 6.00pm. We will play in that twilight period which is quite difficult in cricket. It is difficult because there is shadow and you sight the ball differently,” Nayar was quoted as saying by kkr.in.
“So, we are just trying to get used to both conditions – afternoon and evening. There may be few-day games as well. We know the temperature here is pretty high and it goes up to 40-44 degrees,” added Nayar.
The coach said the ball moves a bit in the evening due to the breeze into the open ground. So the players will have to adjust to these conditions. “We are just getting used to the conditions. It’s a different territory. A lot of guys have never played here,” Nayar pointed out.
“So, for them it’s just to get acclimatised and feel what it’s like playing in different times of the day. They also should have a better understanding of the recovery pattern,” he added.
Among the first teams to land in the UAE, the Kolkata franchise already had four sessions, including an open net practice Tuesday. It happened at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium training facility here.
Nayar said the players were adapting quickly and would be match-ready in another three-four days. “Most of the guys are looking good. This was just the fourth session. But things are already looking nice. Some of them are middling (batting) it well. The consistency will only get better. I am pretty sure in another 3-4 days and a couple of practice-games down the line they will all be match-ready,” asserted Nayar.
The assistant coach said the team was in a great frame of mind. This even though the players did not do practice in the last few months due to the pandemic.
“Everyone is looking really fit and they are moving really well, which kind of helps in the batting. You see the transition happen quite quickly. So, in four days, they have gone really fast in terms of how they progressed,” Nayar signed off.