Sunil Gavaskar is pretty excited about Shreyas Iyer’s upcoming return to Kolkata on Saturday, April 26, when KKR takes on PBKS. Shreyas used to lead KKR, and he even guided them to a championship title last season. However, the team decided not to keep him around for this year’s mega auction, which probably surprised a lot of fans. KKR did make a bid for him during the auction, but in the end, he was picked up by PBKS for a whopping Rs. 26.75 crores. In fact, he played a crucial role earlier in the season when Punjab turned things around against Kolkata, winning a match by defending just 111 runs in Mullanpur.
When Gavaskar spoke to the broadcasters, he made an interesting point about KKR’s decision not to retain Shreyas. He mentioned that while it would have made sense if Shreyas wasn’t in good form, being left out as a successful captain probably stings a bit. He said nobody wants to feel like they’re not wanted, especially after achieving something great with the team. “Shreyas will definitely want to show KKR what they’re missing,” Gavaskar commented, adding that he’s likely got quite a few things to prove in this match.
Gavaskar further emphasized how being skipped over can be tough. He mentioned that even if getting picked by PBKS is a nice consolation, it doesn’t erase that feeling of being overlooked. He believes that when Shreyas steps on the field, he’ll bring that extra fire because of it.
On the other hand, former Australian captain Michael Clarke shared his thoughts as well, saying he doesn’t think KKR will dwell on their earlier loss to PBKS. He expects Saturday’s matchup to be pretty competitive and thrilling. Clarke likened KKR to the Mumbai team, saying that once they get a couple of wins, they can really hit their stride. “I don’t think they’ll be too bothered by that last game. They’ll probably want to put it behind them,” he noted. He’s looking forward to the match and hopes the pitch turns out well.
Clarke also pointed out that KKR has a lot of experienced and senior players, yet they seem to be struggling a bit this season. He compared them to Sunrisers Hyderabad, saying both teams haven’t performed their best but could still make a comeback. He believes that if KKR manages to find their rhythm, they have the ability to be incredibly powerful. “They can really turn things around if they get on a winning streak,” he summed up.
