Rayudu wants KKR to strengthen the middle-order as well sharpen their approach goin forward in the tournament.
Rayudu wants KKR to sharpen up’ in the middle phase to stay in contention.
It was the first time the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has won two straight IPL 2025 games after defeating the already-defeated Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday afternoon at Eden Gardens. With five points from three games, including the lacklustre performance against Punjab Kings (PBKS), they are in the running to qualify for the playoffs. However, as Ambati Rayudu states, “they have to really sort that middle order out” because some things are not going as smoothly as they would like them to. And that’s not all.
It came down to Rinku Singh doing what Rinku Singh does, which he hasn’t always been able to do this season, and Andre Russell making the most of an entrance point that he has consistently requested but rarely had on Sunday. In the end, Rinku got six don’t-think-just-hit balls, Russell got to bat from the 13th over, and KKR lost just two wickets after the eighth over. It was successful.
But “that middle period, they really need to sharpen up, they need to step up if they have to compete against the big teams that are doing well this season,” Rayudu said on ESPNcricinfo Time Out. “If they have to win the championship again, they have to really sort that middle order out.”
Russell and Rinku were given the opportunity to play on Sunday when Venkatesh Iyer and Ramandeep Singh, who were both struggling, were benched. Will KKR use that strategy once more to maximise the middle overs when batting?
What about the ball in the middle overs?
In 11 games, Russell has taken eight wickets at an average of 20.12, but he has only bowled in seven of those games, or 13.3 overs. As Rayudu said, he can take wickets, but he can also be costly—his economy rate this season is 11.92.
“In terms of their bowling changes, they have to be better. I don’t know why Russell hasn’t bowled today [he did, the 19th over of RR’s chase, conceding 11],” Rayudu said. “Russell is a wicket-taker. Even if he goes for runs, when you are 75 for 5 [RR were 71 for 5 in the chase in the eighth over], you want to get somebody in there who can get you those wickets.
“He’s always been a wicket-taker. So I think that’s one area where [Ajinkya] Rahane has to seriously look at.”