Twitterati bash KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik for persisting with Sunil Narine as opener after his third consecutive failure

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) faced the on-song Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Dubai on Wednesday. Having won their respective previous matches, both the teams went with unchanged XIs. Also, Steve Smith, the RR skipper, opted to bowl after winning the toss despite batting first getting favourable results at the venue. And his bowlers didn’t disappoint him and the team bowling to the plan.

For KKR, Sunil Narine and Shubman Gill came out to open. The latter has been in decent touch but his partner hasn’t been able to replicate his earlier heroics with the bat. Narine opening the innings as pinch-hitter was a ploy used to surprise the opposition teams. But KKR has persisted with him at the top despite the teams figuring him out in the previous season itself.

Even then, the team management has backed him to come good this season. But if the story so far is anything to go by, KKR will soon have to think of an alternative to Sunil Narine at the top of the order. After not doing well in the last two games, the Caribbean cricketer got a start against the Royals, thanks to Robin Uthappa dropping him earlier, only to score 15 off 14 balls.

He has scored only 24 runs in three innings and hasn’t been effective with the ball either which has left the fans baffled over KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik’s tactics.

Fans not happy with the team’s strategy

KKR has two talented players sitting on bench in Rahul Tripathi and Tom Banton. They can avoid dropping Sunil Narine and play Tripathi who had a stellar season at the top of the order with the Rising Pune Supargiant (RPS) in 2017. However, since then, neither Royals nor KKR have used him well. The Maharashtra batsman can be a very good option in the powerplay to up the ante and will allow to play Gill his way.

Rather if Narine isn’t doing well with the ball, the team also has Chris Green in the hut or even Banton can be included to open the innings. Even the fans are frustrated with Narine’s failures it seems and are criticising Karthik for his tactics.

Here’s how Twitter reacted after Sunil Narine’s yet another failure:

Many won't agree but this is why you need to stop with Narine experiment at the top. Get a proper bat. Set up the base and then attack with this middle order. Teams have figured Narine out.

— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) September 30, 2020

Narine has been in the Tewatia zone for 3 games. #KKRvRR

— Manya (@CSKian716) September 30, 2020

I think the bat and ball both belong to Sunil Narine…. that's why he gets to bat as well as ball first ! #IPL #KKRvsRR

— Gaurav Singh (@imgksingh) September 30, 2020

While playing gully cricket we never get chance to do opening with bat and bowl both.Sunil narine is lucky😂😆😆😂#Ipl2020#rrvskkr

— Sumit Bhandari (@SumitBh65207681) September 30, 2020

@KKRiders

Ye Sunil Narine apne ghr se bat n ball lata h kya jo use first batting and first bowling milti h

😂😂😂😂

— Anil Sikhwal (@SmjBhai) September 30, 2020

Sunil Narine first batting, first bowling TF is this #KKR

— Pankaj (@Funky_Pankaj) September 30, 2020

Sunil Narine like Mera bat to main hi phle ball karunga aur mai hi phle bating karunga #KKRvsRR #ipl2020

— Dheeraj Tiwari (@Dheeraj86636295) September 30, 2020

Sunil Narine is literally living our childhood days.
First batting and first bowling, something we could only do if the bat and ball both are ours.

— Naraaz Ahmed (@boyzpledwell) September 30, 2020

I'm actually okay with Narine opening the bowling but not him opening the batting. @KKRiders need to bring in a proper batsman at the top. #RRvKKR

— roshimon (@roshimon1) September 30, 2020

Narine definitely coming down the order now. Have seen enough of him.

— not a Nikhil Naik FC 🔥 (@iKnightRider) September 30, 2020

Feel #KKR are 10 Runs short here Could not get the Push in those Middle overs. But this is IPL2020 you just don’t know what is the right score.

Also need To stop sending Narine at the Top can Get Rahul Tripathi in and Varun/Nagarkoti out.#IPL2020

— Sagar Gala (@sagargala1234) September 30, 2020

Narine opens for them, Cummins is at no. 7. What is #KKR doing with so many bowlers in their XI? #KKRvRR

— Rohan Simha (@SimhaSays) September 30, 2020

Narine Is Not Performing Well In Recent Times at opening, Will it affect their team strategy ? #staraikelungal @StarSportsTamil

— Rahul ji asath (@AsathJi) September 30, 2020

Why are KKR trying Sunil Narine as an opener, what strategy are KKR trying? What is your opinion experts? #staraikelungal

— Dheekshidhan (@Dheekshidhan1) September 30, 2020

Drop narine next game and bring in a proper batsman

— Zav (@FodenFC) September 30, 2020