It’s interesting to hear Harbhajan Singh’s perspective on KKR‘s chances in the IPL 2024. KKR has indeed been a strong team in the past, having won the title twice before. If they have a well-rounded squad this season, as Singh suggests, they could certainly be contenders for the championship. However, it’ll be exciting to see how the tournament unfolds and whether KKR can live up to the expectations.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got a bit lucky in their last match against Gujarat Titans (GT). The weather was in the favor of KKR as they registered a spot in the qualifier 1, which will take place in the same venue on 21 May.
I feel they are the strongest contenders to lift the trophy- Harbhajan Singh
While having a conversation on Star Sports, Harbhajan Singh was asked about the possibility of KKR becoming the champion in the IPL 2024.
“They have very good chances because the team is very good. It’s an extremely balanced team. I don’t think they have anything lacking in their team. The opening slots, middle order, fast and spin bowling are all set. They have all the options a good team should have and that is why they are the table toppers,” he replied.
“I feel they are the strongest contenders to lift the trophy because they have a lot of match-winners. The opposing team needs to have a very good day to beat them. I feel it would be slightly difficult to beat them this season because they are playing terrific cricket,” he further added.
As of yet, KKR is the only one to have qualified for the playoffs, having 19 points from 13 games. KKR is leading with 3 points with Rajasthan Royals (RR) behind them. They both (KKR & RR) will be facing each other for their final league on May 19 in Guwahati.
We rarely see such a turnaround- Mohammad Kaif Aplauds KKR’s Fabulous Run After 2 Indifferent Year
Mohammad Kaif lauds KKR for their astonishing gameplay in the IPL 2024.
“When they will reach here for Qualifier 1, (Phil) Salt won’t be there. A new player would have to play there. So the atmosphere will be slightly different but they will be happy because of the way they have played. All players are in form. We rarely see such a turnaround,” he opined.
“The last two years were very bad for KKR. They finished at the seventh position in two successive years. Now they are finishing at the top. Although one or two games are left, they have qualified. The signs are good. They have good players and a great atmosphere,” he further added.
“They have (Mitchell) Starc and two uncapped fast bowlers in Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana. They have swing and pace. They have (Sunil) Narine and Varun (Chakaravarthy). They are an extremely balanced team. We haven’t taken Rinku Singh’s name much. They have Andre Russell. I have gotten tired while naming all of them,” he explained.
While Phil Salt is unlikely to play in the playoffs, Rahmanullah Gurbaz stepping in for Phil Salt at the top of the order alongside Sunil Narine could provide a dynamic opening partnership, given Gurbaz’s aggressive style and Narine’s ability to provide quick runs. Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s inclusion could be a strategic move, especially if the team management believes he has the potential to perform well under pressure ( which he has).