The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) began the second half of the IPL 2021 in impressive form, defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore by nine wickets (RCB). They’ll seek to maintain their momentum when they meet the Mumbai Indians on Thursday (September 23).
KKR’s batting order hasn’t exactly lit up the tournament, but their performance against RCB demonstrated that they had put in the effort ahead of the resumption.
Rather than seasoned veterans, the team’s primary run scorers are inexperienced players. We take a look at some of the franchise’s top three run scorers so far.
Nitish Rana has scored 201 runs in eight games
The southpaw has been in fantastic form for the team, scoring 201 runs at an average of 28.71 and a strike rate of 122.56 in eight games. During the India leg of the IPL 2021, Rana hit two fifties and will seek to dominate the rest of the competition as KKR pushes for a playoff berth.
Rahul Tripathi has 187 runs in eight games
Tripathi was another batter who had a good run when the event was hosted in India earlier this year, but he missed out on several starts. Despite the results, he appeared to be a promising candidate.
The hard-hitting batsman has 187 runs at an average of 26.71 and a strike rate of 135.50 in eight games.
Shubman Gill has scored 180 runs in eight matches
In the Indian phase of the tournament, Gill scored 132 runs at an average of 30.60 in seven matches at the top of the order. In the UAE, however, he got off to a wonderful start with a patient and much-needed 48 against RCB.
The opening batsman has showed signs of maturity, flair, and the ability to handle pressure, all of which are characteristics of a successful batsman. Only time will tell if he can continue his strong start for KKR in the UAE leg of the IPL.
