THE RISING STARS OF KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS...


The Kolkata Knight Riders started IPL 4 with a team that consisted of many new players. While the world was looking forward to the exploits of established stars like Gautam Gambhir,  Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee and Yusuf Pathan, the KKR management clearly had one eye on the future. Among the luminaries were rising young stars like James Pattinson, Manoj Tiwary, Shakib Al Hasan, Ryan ten Doeschate, and KKR’s top bowler in IPL 4, Iqbal Abdulla.
Pattinson has since made his international debut for Australia and has made the world sit up and take notice of a bowler who seems set to take over the Aussie fast bowling mantle from another legendary Knight, Brett Lee. Tiwary has gone on to feature for India several times in the last year and has made the most of every opportunity to show his worth on the world stage, scoring a brilliant ODI century against the West Indies. Shakib is now universally regarded as one of the best modern all-rounders and one of the best cricketers to have come out of Bangladesh, all at the ripe young age of 24. Doeschate went to score two terrific centuries in the 2011 World Cup and continues to impress with his all-round ability every time he steps on to a pitch. Abdulla is also knocking down the doors of the Indian national team with consistent performances on the domestic circuit and it is only a matter of time before he is given his chance. Added to these youngsters is the domestic fast bowling contingent being prepared by the Knights that includes Jaidev Unadkat, Pradeep Sangwan and Shami Ahmed along with the experienced L Balaji, all gaining insights from the legendary ‘Sultan of Swing’ Wasim Akram, KKR’s mentor.
This season will also see the addition of Marchant de Lange, the South African quick regularly hitting speeds of 150+ kph and already striking fear into experienced international batsmen in his short international career. KKR also welcomes the wily young West Indian spinner, Sunil Narine, another scarcely known quantity who has been generating a lot of buzz in the domestic and international circuits.

No comments:

Post a Comment