Mumbai: Speaking exclusively on Kuhl Fans Match Centre Live on JioHotstar, JioStar expert Varun Aaron reflected on Punjab Kings’ incredible turnaround and praised Yuzvendra Chahal’s impact in the game: “This is the biggest heist which has ever been pulled off in the TATA IPL. What we saw today, I would say, is the eighth wonder of the world. It’s unbelievable what happened. You thought it was going to be an easy game, but I think the Punjab Kings side showed a lot of gumption in the way they played—especially with those wickets up front. Great catching. And then, Yuzvendra Chahal. There’s a reason why he’s the best bowler in the league. That ball which got Rinku Singh was 72 kilometres an hour—that’s how slow he bowled that. And you need a lot of steel to come up with the goods when the team needs you.”
JioStar expert Saba Karim highlighted the sheer disbelief surrounding the lowest total ever defended in TATA IPL history and the key contributors to Punjab Kings’ success: “There has to be a sense of disbelief in all the Kolkata Knight Riders players, including the dugout. None could ever believe that something like this could ever take place. Lowest score ever defended. It’s been, what, 18 seasons now of the TATA IPL. So, imagine the self-belief that Punjab Kings had midway. For them to step out and then to have that self-belief and continue to do so through the entire innings is remarkable to watch. A great combination of some superb new-ball bowlers, then Chahal finally finding form at the right time, and some great captaincy skills. On top of that, very good catching by Punjab Kings. Even the way Shreyas Iyer was standing at first slip—he anticipated and moved one side to pick that catch of Ramandeep Singh. It was off Yuzvendra Chahal’s delivery. And for everybody to have that kind of belief is so good to watch. I think that’s what you need. That’s what the TATA IPL required at this point of time. No one ever thought that Punjab Kings could do something like this. But look what they have achieved today.”
Analyzing Kolkata Knight Riders’ failed chase, Saba Karim questioned the adaptability of young batters under pressure: “I think it raises a pertinent point—when do young batters like this learn to adapt, especially in run chases when the wicket is tough, when the wicket is challenging, when the conditions are, to some extent, adverse? Then what do you fall back on? You fall back on the basics of good batsmanship. The one which Virat Kohli has shown time and time again—you need to get your footwork right, pick the right length, shot selection has to be much better—and all that was lacking today. That’s something which Kolkata Knight Riders and this side would love to go back and work very hard on. Ajinkya Rahane, although he’s the captain, played the wrong shot—and he was the first one to admit it. But even after his departure, what about the other batters? I’ve seen this among young batters—that on a track like this, you have to go back to solid defence, because you’re only chasing 111. It’s not like you’re chasing 180 or 200 and you have to go bang-bang at a run rate of 9 or 10 per over. Here, one could not even think about having an asking run rate. If you had only decided to play those four overs of Yuzvendra Chahal cautiously, you could have easily won this game.”
Saba Karim shares his thoughts on Andre Russell’s current form and role in the Kolkata Knight Riders team: ” This is not the first season that he has disappointed his side—and also himself. I’ve seen Andre Russell not only in the TATA IPL, even in the other global franchise leagues—he has struggled for runs. And I think he strives to compensate by bowling those two-three overs and picking up wickets. But if one can be brutally honest, he is part of this setup more because of his reputation. I don’t see the numbers for the past couple of seasons. When is the last time he has come up with a match-winning performance? That’s what you need. That’s the reason why Kolkata Knight Riders have retained him—they want Russell to win such encounters for them. Even while setting a target this season, he has hardly delivered. He has hardly done anything of note. And I think that’s one of the reasons why the lower middle-order of KKR has struggled to some extent.”
