Page 254 - IPL 2

T his was the most popular team even before
a ball had been bowled in the league. Easy to
understand given the demi god status of their
franchise owner and the rock star branding
given to the team. They had a start that justified
the image. The Brendon McCullam century in
the first ever match of the IPL gave not just a
blazing start to the league but also endeared
Knight Riders to more than just all of Kolkata.
The lead up to the second season wasn’t as
smooth though, with new coach John Buchanan
introducing the controversial 4 captain theory,
the buzz around the team wasn’t a joyous one.
Kolkata was up in arms, as they have been in
the past when a word is spoken or a deed done
to undermine their precious ‘Dada’. The experts
looked beyond emotion and called this team a
strong one. Rightfully so, given the destructive
capabilities of Chris Gayle and Brendon
McCullam at the top. The prolific Aussie T20
specialist Brad Hodge and Saurav, who is no
stranger to dancing down the wicket and belting
it over the side screen. The top four looked like
world-beaters. The bowling attack too wasn’t
amateurish. The raw pace of the lanky Ishant,
the wily ways of the Miser Agarkar, spinner on
song Ajantha Mendis and the supreme south
African death bowler Charl Langaveld.
Wasn’t exactly a line up you could write off easily.
While you could argue that the team’s popularity
was a little dodgy in hometown Kolkata, it went
soaring in neighboring Bangladesh with the bid
for Mashrafe Mortaza. Eyebrows were raised
with KKR paying over half a million dollars
sourav ganguly for him. More eyebrows were raised when the
242 KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS
coach made him cool his heels in the dugout for
most of the South African expedition.
But that wasn’t the only strange thinking that
was coming out of the dugout. KKR was bleeding
runs in the tournament, especially in the death
overs, so it was baffling that Langaveld wasn’t
given a chance till way after the team had been
knocked out of the tournament.
They did however get their act together at the fag
end of the tournament, with two thumping wins
against the Rajasthan Royals and The Chennai
Super Kings. Some bad luck and a crazy last
over denied them a victory against the Deccan
Chargers. If the rub of the green had gone their
way that evening in Johannesburg the league
table would’ve looked a little different, but it
didn’t and that meant that the dreaded wooden
spoon would be going back home with them.
That the KKR campaign went pear shaped
rather early on is no secret. Neither is the fact
that things will change in the next season,
drastically at that. They have in Shahrukh Khan
a natural leader, one who’s fiercely averse to
losing. A motivator who knows when to cut his
losses and his loss making personnel.
So in Season 3 we can expect to see KKR back
at their fortress Eden Gardens and all of Kolkata
back behind their army of Knights. With Badshah
of Bollywood and the Prince of Kolkata leading
the charge, their kingdom is bound to expand.
The wooden spoon will be carved into a sword,
and they will come out wielding it like the
Knights we want them to be!
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