Ahead of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vs Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) match in the Indian Premier League (IPL), KKR’s superstar pacer Mitchell Starc is facing fans’ scrutiny for his below-average performance in the tournament so far. Backing the left-arm quick, KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir recently spoke in favour of Starc. Talking about Starc’s performance in the present IPL league, Gambhir said that his performance in four games does not make him bad and the overall performance of the team is more important than the individual performance of cricketers.
Mitchell Starc is one of the costliest buys in IPL history. He was bought by the KKR franchise for ₹24.75 crore. However, his performance in the last four matches has been quite unsatisfactory as he has so far taken just four wickets in IPL 2024. Starc was unable to take any wicket in all the matches except the match against Delhi Capitals, where he managed to return with figures of 2/25.
What did Gambhir say about Starc?
While responding to a question on Starc’s performance, Gambhir said, “It (his poor stats) does not matter, T20 cricket is all about bowlers getting smashed. We have got three wins out of four.”
“In a team sport, it is the wins that matter. We have got three wins out of four. Why should I not be happy with anyone’s performance? See, people have bad and good days, ultimately, it is the team that needs to win,” he added.
He made it clear that Starc’s performance in “four games” does not make him “a bad bowler.” At the same time, he said that “four good games does not make him a brilliant bowler either.” Expressing his confidence in Starc, Gambhir reaffirmed his trust in Starc’s performance and the “impact he can create.”
Gambhir said that Starc has done “reasonably okay” and bowled some “tough overs”.
KKR vs LSG IPL 2024 on April 14
KKR will clash with LSG at Eden Garden on Sunday, with KKR currently at the second spot with three wins and a loss. The team lost their previous match to Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Whereas, LSG is at the fourth spot on the list with three wins and two losses. The team lost its previous match to Delhi Capitals (DC).
In terms of head-to-head contests, the Lucknow Super Giants have the edge over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the team has won all three games played between both sides since 2022. Out of the three matches, KKR won two with a very close margin.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it’s all here, just a click away! Login Now!
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
Published: 13 Apr 2024, 09:59 PM IST