New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) Former Australia captain Aaron Finch criticised Kolkata Knight Riders’ lack of urgency in their 39-run defeat to Gujarat Titans, calling it a case of tactical misjudgement and timid batting.
His strongest words were reserved for Venkatesh Iyer, whose slow-paced 14 off 19 balls effectively stalled KKR’s chase.
“You can’t score boundaries if you’re not looking to hit them. Venkatesh’s first instinct was to just tap it into the leg side and jog a single. That’s not how you chase 200,” Finch said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out.
Venkatesh came in at No. 4, with KKR at 43 for 2 inside the powerplay. Instead of counterattacking, he got bogged down by Sai Kishore and Rashid Khan and never looked like breaking free. Finch felt this was the turning point that sapped momentum from the innings.
“They had nine batters. That tells me they should’ve attacked upfront. Instead, they played it safe, hoping for a miracle later. Once the required rate hit 13, it was game over.”
KKR were 68 for 2 at the halfway mark, needing over 13 per over. Finch said this approach made no sense given the batting depth they had. “They weren’t playing to win. It was almost like, ‘Let’s get to 160 and not be embarrassed.’ That’s a horrible mindset for a side chasing 199.”
Finch also called out KKR’s timid attitude in context of their recent 16-run loss to Punjab Kings, where they failed to chase 112. “It looked like that loss scarred them. They were so cautious that they never even attempted to dominate.”
The Australian ended by saying such a conservative approach is unsustainable in modern T20 cricket. “If you’re not willing to take risks and back your depth, you’re not going to win games chasing 200. This was a classic case of miscalculating both the target and their own potential,” Finch concluded.
–IANS
hs/ab
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by BhaskarLive.in and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of BhaskarLive.in We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, BhaskarLive.in takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
