Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders started their IPL-2008 campaign with a bang as they beat Bangalore Royal Challengers by a huge margin. The Kiwi dynamo Brendon McCullum took the Bengali populace in rapture with a slam-bang hundred in that match. And after they beat Deccan Chargers in the second match, pundits predicted them as the possible champions. But suddenly they lost the way in IPL-2.

When everything seemed lost, KKR got their rescuer in Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar who single-handedly sent formidable Delhi Daredevils packing in a high voltage match. The match took KKR into the winning mode again. But their performance dipped again as they lost their last three matches in a row. Their collective batting failure was on evidence when they fizzled out for just 67 runs. Though they ended their first IPL journey on a winning note, overall it was not a satisfactory performance from the Kolkata team.

Much has been said about coach John Buchanan’s multiple captaincy theory before the start of IPL-2. But finally, KKR chose Kiwi wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum replacing Sourav Ganguly just before the event.

But the Kolkata outfit does not inspire confidence even for the best of KKR fans. In the absence of Australian captain Ricky Ponting and David Hussey in the middle order looks as fragile as ever. And in the bowling department the team will bound to suffer in the absence of Pakistan pace duo of Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar.

Though they will get the service of mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis for the whole tournament, no one apart from Ishant Sharma inspires confidence, though they have bought Bangladeshi allrounder Mashrafe Bin Mortaza for a whopping amount. His purchase, one believes, more to do with KKR’s intention to capture the Bangladeshi market than pure cricketing reasons.

Their new recruits- allrounder Moises Henriques and Sanjay Bangar don’t have the capacity to win matches on their own.

Ultimately, if KKR has to do well in IPL 2009, old war-horse Sourav Ganguly, West Indian Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum have to play some blistering knocks at the top of the order.

Head Coach John Buchanan

t Physiotherapist Andrew Leipus

FranchiseeRed Chillies Entertainment (Shah Rukh Khan)

Franchise cost USD 79.09 Millions