Brendon McCullum ‘very, very disappointed’ with KKR batsmen, hints at changes

Kolkata Knight Riders are not going through a good run of form in Indian Premier League 2021. They have lost five matches in the tournament already and are facing a tough task in their quest to reach the IPL playoffs. They could not turn up against Delhi Capitals on Thursday as they lost the match by seven wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The KKR top-order again failed to deliver against DC as they lost their first five wickets for just 82 runs in the IPL 2021 match. It was Andre Russell’s fiery innings that propelled KKR’s total to 154.
However, after the match, a livid KKR coach Brendon McCullum came down heavily on his team’s top-order batsmen for not showing enough "intent and aggression" in the ongoing IPL after demanding "loyalty" from him during team selection.

McCullum didn’t name anyone but rising India superstar Shubman Gill is among those who have looked completely out of sorts. As an opener in all seven games, he has scored only 132 runs at an average of less than 19 and strike-rate of below 120.

"It’s very, very disappointing. I think as a player, you ask to be given freedom and confidence and loyalty when it comes to selection, to go out there and take the game on and try and be aggressive… and to try and make things happen for your team," McCullum said at the post-match conference after the team slumped to its fifth defeat against the Delhi Capitals.

"That’s the style of play which both myself and the captain (Eoin Morgan) have asked of our players. But unfortunately we’re not quite getting that. We’re certainly not getting it in the abundance that we need," McCullum said after another below-par batting effort.

A target of 154 was a cakewalk for DC as as Prithvi Shaw smashed six boundaries in the opening over from Shivam Mavi. His 82 off 41 balls sealed the issue.

Report by Chetali S M
Reported on – 01/05/2021