IPL 2017: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Lions, 5 factors of winning

#5 X-Factors

Gujarat Lions will depend a lot on Andrew Tye in the bowling department

Kuldeep Yadav announced himself on the big stage with his brilliant performance in the final Test match against Australian at Dharamshala. The Chinaman bowler has continued to impress with his control and variation in this edition of the IPL and will be the key man in the bowling unit for the Knight Riders.

The 22-year-old spinner bowled exceptionally well in their last home game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He displayed extraordinary control and expertise to strangle the Sunrisers batting line-up, including their skipper, David Warner. Kuldeep’s exploits with the ball will be crucial for the Knight Riders and have a huge bearing on the outcome of the game.

Andrew Tye has been the find of the tournament for the Gujarat Lions in the tenth season of the tournament. He made a dream debut in the IPL as he scalped five wickets, including a hat-trick against the Rising Pune Supergiant. He has been one of the most economical bowlers for the Lions with a variety of variations up his sleeve.

The knuckleball being his potent weapon, Tye has provided crucial breakthroughs in the death overs and also helped in restricting the flow of runs. His four overs will be crucial for the Lions as he has been the wicket taker for Suresh Raina and his performance will be critical for the visiting team.