Nitish Rana of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is optimistic about surpassing the 600-run milestone in the upcoming 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. However, Nitish Rana is not overly focused on securing a spot in Team India’s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. After serving as captain in IPL 2023 due to Shreyas Iyer’s injury, Nitish Rana is set to revert to his primary role as a middle-order batter. In the previous season, he had his most successful IPL stint yet, amassing 413 runs with a strike rate of 140.96, breaking free from a six-season streak of scoring around the 300-run mark.
With Shreyas Iyer returning to bolster the middle order and Rinku Singh in excellent form, Nitish Rana aims to enhance his performance from last season and consistently contribute runs for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Despite a challenging Vijay Hazare Trophy after his controversial switch from Delhi to Uttar Pradesh, Rana showed glimpses of his talent in the recently concluded Ranji Trophy. The last Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter to surpass the 600-run mark in a single IPL season was Robin Uthappa in his remarkable 2014 campaign. Uthappa’s stellar performance played a crucial role in KKR winning their second IPL title that year.
“Everyone wants to play for the country and many players will have it in the back of their mind, but we have to stay in the present. I too want to get selected for the World T20 squad, but at this moment I am thinking only about the IPL. I believe I can get 600 runs in this tournament and I will be aiming for that,” Nitish Rana said in an interview with the Times of India when asked about his T20 World Cup and IPL aspirations.
Mitchell Starc is too experienced to let the price tag affect him- Nitish Rana
Nitish Rana also commented on Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) significant acquisition of Mitchell Starc at the IPL 2024 mini-auction. The franchise spent a whopping ₹24.75 crore to secure the services of the left-arm seamer, making it the most expensive signing in the history of the competition.
“Starc is too experienced to let the price tag affect him. We had been missing a death bowler and he has filled up that spot. He knows what needs to be done. In fact, I feel he will be one of our main performers this time. Of course, in T20 cricket, every bowler goes into a match knowing that he might go for runs, and Starc is prepared,” Rana said.
“Starc won’t have much support as KKR’s other pacers are quite inexperienced. We have three spinners and want them to control the game. That doesn’t mean we have not paid attention to the pace department,” Rana added.
Mitchell Starc will be making his IPL comeback in IPL 2024, marking his first appearance in the tournament since the 2015 edition. The Australian fast bowler previously represented Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Although Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) acquired him for the 2018 season, he was unable to feature due to injury.
Hoping Shreyas Iyer leads in all the matches- Nitish Rana
Despite Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) failing to qualify for the playoffs in the 2023 season, Nitish Rana received praise for his leadership and resource management. He stepped up admirably in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, demonstrating effective leadership throughout the season. Despite his return to action, Shreyas Iyer remains plagued by injury concerns. Reports suggest that his back issues resurfaced while playing for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. In response, he reportedly sought the advice of a specialist to address the problem.
If Shreyas Iyer is not fully fit, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are likely to turn to Nitish Rana for the leadership role, a responsibility he is eager to embrace.
“Shreyas is back with the team and is quite fit. Of course, he had fitness issues in the past and we cannot take anything for granted. I hope I do not have to take up this responsibility again, as we are hoping Shreyas leads in all the matches. Having said that, if a situation arises where I have to wear the captain’s band again, I am ready for it. I was made the captain last year and that was the biggest thing for me. Although we did not achieve everything we wanted, yet it was the greatest experience for me,” Rana said.
KKR will commence their 2024 IPL campaign with a match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday, March 23.
Also Read: https://goworldwide.co.in/jaffer-backs-ms-dhoni-to-play-entire-season/