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The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) desperately need wins under their belt if they are keen to make the IPL playoffs schedule this season. Placed seventh in the IPL point table, they will need to win all of their remaining seven games and pray for a few results to go their way.
Kolkata's famous names are yet to make a big impact on their 2021 run. Barring Andre Russell (163 runs and seven wickets) and Nitish Rana (201 runs from seven matches), the rest are yet to make substantial contributions.
Ahead of the IPL schedule 2021 restart on September 19 and Kolkata's opener against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) the following day, we take a look at three players who need to come good for the side.
#1 KKR skipper Eoin Morgan
The KKR skipper wasn't in great nick with the willow in the first half of the season, mustering ust 92 runs from seven matches. He also took over captaincy duties from Dinesh Karthik mid-season in 2020 but hasn't set the world alight as a skipper either.
On paper, the likes of Morgan, Karthik and Russell make for a solid middle-order, but barring the Windies star, the other two big names are yet to fire.
#2 Dinesh Karthik
All eyes will now be on Karthik, the player, instead of Karthik the commentator. KKR will hope for a better outing from the seasoned wicket-keeper batsman, who has scored 123 runs at a strike rate of 138.20.
While his numbers were most definitely a marked improvement from the 2020 edition, the big runs need to flow from his willow if KKR intend to climb steadily in the UAE leg.
Also see: Purple cap holder in IPL 2021
#3 Shubman Gill
Viewed as one for the future, there were immense expectations from Shubman Gill to get the side off to breezy starts and play daddy innings. Except, it was a blow-hot, blow-cold run as he racked up just 132 runs from seven matches at an average of 18.85 with no fifties to show for his troubles.
Gill's WTC outing was average by his own standards and a shin injury ruled him out of the Test series against England. With reports stating he's well on his way to full recovery, the Punjab lad will be raring to go.
