As Kolkata Knight Riders won their first IPL trophy in 10 years, there were several tales of redemption. From Sunil Narine at the top to Varun Chakravarthy, there were many notable comebacks. The Indian Express takes a look at them…
Eyebrows were raised when KKR retained him in 2022. With a slightly remodelled action after being called for chucking, Narine wasn’t the mystery-spinner of old. Even with the bat, he wasn’t offering much in the lower order, tallying just 62, 71 & 21 in the last three seasons. And even in the West Indies set-up, he was totally sidelined as he became the franchise’s global face across several T20 leagues. The endgame was ready to be played, only for Narine to return to the top of the order and score 488 runs, while picking up 17 wickets. The forgotten hero walked away with the Most Valuable Player award with even his fellow West Indian players asking him to return for the T20 World Cup.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz – with Mom’s blessings
With their top order seldom contributing over the last two seasons, KKR had high hopes for Gurbaz. With Phil Salt unavailable for the play-off stage, they were preparing him for the role before he had to rush home to be with his ailing mother. When Salt left for the UK, KKR reached out to Gurbaz, who immediately agreed to play. “My mom is watching from home. She is feeling good now. I asked mom before the match if she wanted anything. She said just the win,” an emotional Gurbaz would say after ensuring KKR didn’t miss Salt.
Shreyas Iyer – turnaround in fortunes
Last September, Shreyas was fighting to be fit to make it to the World Cup, where he made a telling impact in the middle order. During the Tests against England, the longstanding back issue resurfaced, forcing him to miss even Ranji matches. As he sat out, he ended up losing his BCCI central contract. But after playing a role in Mumbai’s Ranji triumph, he has captained Kolkata to a memorable title win. He scored only 351 runs, which included only 2 fifties, but his strike rate of 146.86 was a reflection of the brand of cricket he wanted his team to play. He also marshalled his resources admiringly.
Venkatesh Iyer – making an impact
The last time KKR made the final in 2021, Venkatesh was among the finds of the season. A medium-pace bowling all-rounder, who batted at the top, the left-hander fitted into the Bazball concept. As KKR went from the bottom of the table at the halfway stage to the final, Venkatesh’s impact was such that he made it to the India squad. But lack of opportunities in the playing XI and injuries took him back to the fringes. But this season, coming in at times as an Impact Player, Venkatesh’s 370 runs in the middle order did KKR a world of good.
Andre Russell – Icon bounces back
He was living on past reputation. His bowling wasn’t getting better and with the bat, those power-packed shots were missing and so was the consistency. But Russell, like Narine, would end up having a productive season. Coming in as a finisher, his strike rate stood at 185.00, 11 more than his overall IPL numbers. He tallied only 222 runs, but faced only 120 deliveries, playing the cameo role that was expected of him. With the ball, he chipped in at crucial times, and in the final picked up three wickets. Those tears soon after winning the trophy showed what the redemption meant for him.
Varun Chakravarthy – Mystery is back
Ever since he joined the KKR ranks, Varun has formed a good partnership with Narine. Even when Narine struggled, Varun proved to be a headache for the opposition. In 2022, after failing to make an impact with the Indian team at the 2021 T20 World Cup, he had a forgetful season, picking up just 6 wickets. It appeared as if his mystery was decoded. But he bounced back last season, taking 20 wickets and this year scalped 21. No bowler has taken as many wickets as him in the last three seasons. On Sunday, he won the title, with his family watching from the stands in his hometown.
