New Delhi: Too many cooks spoil the broth. This age old adage fits aptly on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The IPL franchise is staring at early elimination from the 2022 season. It seems a bit strange as they had entered the final last year. However, more than anything else a comment made by KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer has suddenly become the bone of contention.
The post-match comments from Shreyas Iyer after the game against Mumbai Indians have certainly opened the Pandora’s Box. It has raised questions if there is too much of interference from the management, especially long-standing CEO Venky Mysore.
A testimony to KKR’s problems has been the fact that 20 players have played in 12 games. There has not been a single game, where the playing XI has been retained. In the process, the outfit has appeared unsettled.
After the match against MI, Iyer was asked as to how players react to so much of chopping and changing. “It is really difficult (to tell players about axing). Coach and at times, CEO are also obviously involved in team selections. Each and every player takes the decision well, and they have put in their best efforts, despite being dropped at times,” Iyer said.
In isolation, it might look like an innocuous statement. However, Shreyas Iyer has indeed set the proverbial ‘cat amongst the pigeons. ’ Even if Iyer makes an official statement that his comments are being ‘taken out of context’, he has inadvertently blurted out the worst-kept secret in IPL universe.
And that is, none of the members of the think-tank is on same page. It has led to an unstable team and shoddy performance.
Iyer’s captaincy stocks had gone up during his Delhi Capitals stint but it has drastically plummeted due to poor team selection. It had prompted even former India head coach Ravi Shastri to ask how world’s No. 1 pacer Pat Cummins can be rested for five games.
Mysore refused to comment when asked if he ‘interferes’ in team selection matters. A source close to KKR management however, said that Iyer’s comments have been ‘misconstrued’.
“It is obviously misconstrued. I don’t think Venky has ever got involved in team selections. It’s up to the captain and the coach. At times when CEO’s opinion is sought and when asked, he might share some ideas with provision that ultimately it’s their call,” the team source defended the CEO.
Are McCullum, Iyer and Nayyar on the same page?
Unlike Chennai Super Kings (CSK) who are a captain dependant team, KKR after Gautam Gambhir’s exit is a ‘coach’ or ‘dug-out’ dependant outfit.
A player, who was a part of the set-up not too long ago, has an interesting tale to narrate. He said former skipper Eoin Morgan would look at the dug-out. There would be a white marker board with possible match-ups and from which over to which over would be chalked out. “I found it quite hilarious,” the player recalled.
Too many coaches with divergent views
Historically, whenever teams have done well in IPL, they haven’t used more than 14 to 15 players throughout the season. However, one thing becomes crystal clear when 20 players are used. The captain and the coaches aren’t ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’.
“You have a Brendon McCullum, a David Hussey and Abhishek Nayyar. Make no mistake, Abhishek may be in charge of KKR’s academy but he has a lot of say in the main team’s composition,” a source who is well-aware informed.
Some of the questions that are being asked include why no stable keeper-batter has been played throughout? Sam Billings is an explosive player. However, due to overseas composition where Sunil Narine and Andre Russell’s positions are non-negotiable, it became difficult to fit in Billings regularly.
But then how did Baba Indrajith get three games when in his eight-year-senior career, he has played 20 representative T20 games for Tamil Nadu with a strike rate of 101? Whose call was it? McCullum, Hussey, Nair, Bharath Arun or Iyer? Or Mysore?
One would never get those answers.
KKR retained most of their core men who took them to final last year. They also got someone like Iyer to lead and yet things went all awry.
As far as McCullum is concerned, he has a sentimental attachment with the side. His iconic innings on the first day of the first ever IPL, set the tone of the tournament. Based on that knock, he was made the captain next year in South Africa where the team brought up the rear.
As a player, McCullum was one hell of a batter, a real freak, who has a triple hundred against India. As a coach, it is believed that he is not much of a tactician. He primarily wants his batters to just go out and attack. It hasn’t paid dividends this season.
So unless some drastic changes are made, the future does not look bright for the Knights.