SWOT Analysis: KKR
Kolkata Knight Riders have had a miserable experience in both IPL editions. They have the worst record amongst all teams in the league having lost 16 of the 26 matches they have played till date. They have also been beset by controversies, like the multiple captain issue. They have corrected some of their past mistakes and are looking to turn the tide under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly.
Strengths:
They have a very good coach in Dav Whatmore, who has always given great results with underdog teams. Their biggest strength lies in their batting line-up. Even with the exclusion of Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum, they have a line-up that includes Sourav Ganguly, Brad Hodge and Owais Shah. They also have in their ranks Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who has been in great touch of late. The inclusion of Rohan Gavaskar and Manoj Tiwary will add much needed stability to the middle-order. Be it Ajit Agarkar or Ishant Sharma, the KKR bowling attack can pack a punch. In Charl Langeveldt they have one of the best bowlers in the death overs. Another point to keep in mind is Ganguly’s tenacity and urge to prove a point after making a comeback, which could drive the Knight Riders to the top.
Weaknesses:
Their greatest strengths can also be their greatest weakness. The lack of discipline and consistency has time and again let the team and its fans down. The team, which collapsed to 95 all out in one of the games last year, even with the likes of Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum, could on a bad day meekly surrender to the opposition. The Knight Riders have been also never bound together as a cohesive unit and all their wins have been based on individual efforts. Their local players especially have failed to deliver the much needed support to the star batting line-up for them to win. Their bowling also has been weak and only when Kiwi paceman Shane Bond comes into the picture would they appear to have strength to defend meagre totals. Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis is no longer a secret weapon and most opposition players have been able to decode his action.
Opportunities:
IPL 2010 could be the launch pad for many of the Kolkata Knight Riders. Wriddhiman Saha, who has had a few useful knocks, would relish using the opportunity provided by Brendon McCullum’s absence to knock on the national selectors doors. Young off-spinner Iqbal Abdulla could use this exposure to not only learn some tricks of the trade but also catch the eye of the selectors. Good performances by Ishant Sharma and Ajit Agarkar could stand them in good stead when it’s time to select the team for the T20 World Cup. Mohnish Parmar, considered to be India’s answer to Muralidaran, should grab this opportunity to establish himself in the national scheme of things.
Threats:
The trio of missing overseas stars: Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Shane Bond could be a stumbling block for the Knight Riders. The lack of hard-hitting batsmen could cause the team to not have big enough totals to defend. And if Ishant and Agarkar’s bowling is as inconsistent as in the earlier editions, then KKR would struggle to win matches.
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