3 Possible Replacements For Dinesh Karthik As KKR Captain: After a woeful season, KKR look to replace the diabolic Karthik as captain
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With KKR being pushed out of the Indian Premier League emphatically by a supremely clinical Mumbai Indians outfit on Sunday, there perhaps is no bigger reason for their incremental form than captain Dinesh Karthik. After having continuously come under massive flak for his puzzling and confounding decision making, the side will be looking to bring in a fresh face in the captaincy department for next season.
It’s not just Karthik’s be puzzling and flabbergasting gameplans on the field that have been criticised but even his management of players have been blasted. Under his leadership, the side have lost all semblance with continuous bickering amongst the team becoming an unsavoury theme throughout the season.
Perhaps the biggest flaw in Karthik’s abilities as a captain with his treatment of Kuldeep Yadav. After cleaned out for 60 runs, a murky performance that saw him being mauled all around the park by Moeen Ali, Yadav was lambasted by Karthik. It was a crass interview, one that saw him cringeworthy go after a player who had cried after been taken apart.
“A form issue with him– as he couldn’t stand up for us in the last game. We had to give him a break and get him back fresh,” Karthik on Kuldeep after that encounter with RCB.
The statement was a derogatory one to make, especially for a player who was clearly down and out on confidence. As a leader you’ve to back your players to the end especially infront of the world and Karthik should his abject failure as a captain when he came out with those words.
Ever since, Karthik has himself failed to perform with either the bat or as a captain. As shown most recently against the Mumbai Indians, he decided to wait till over 6 to bring on Sunil Narine against Rohit Sharma, a player whose travails against spin are all too well articulated. With KKR out of this edition of the league, it’s the final nail for Karthik as a captain as well and we took at the three likeliest names expected to replace him in 2020.
3 Possible Replacements For Dinesh Karthik As KKR Captain
Chris Lynn
The one batsman who decided to settle at the crease and play out innings of real worth, the opener was one of the two players along with Andre Russell who were actually interested in delivering for their side. He’s become a main player for the side and having been named captain of the Brisbane Heat for the edition of the Big Bash League knows what it takes to lead a side.
Leadership is something I have enjoyed since I was a young bloke starting out and I’m confident I am ready to handle it in the BBL, “Lynn said after being named captain of the side in December 2018.
Lynn has also led Queensland in the JLT one-day cup earlier in 2018, a tournament which saw the side make it all the way to the semi-finals of the back of some delectable performances. He’s well aware of the pressures and demands that come in taking over the mantle of a side and his previous stints as a leader make him a frontrunner for the role.
Nitish Rana
After one of Delhi’s most iconic and revered player, Gautam Gambhir announced his retirement from all formats of cricket earlier this year, the Delhi domestic side was left with a massive gaping hole. Announcing he was stepping down from his role preceding his subsequent retirement, the DDCA ended up giving the role to Nitish Rana to lead the side in the Ranji Trophy.
It was a season that saw Delhi fail to make to make it to the top 4 and with the loss of experienced players like Gautam Gambhir, Dhawan and Rishabh Pant, Nitish’s job was made even tougher. However, with few contenders for the role at KKR, his short stay as a captain for the capital based side will see him being called up to discuss the role at KKR as well. An unlikely choice but definitely one who could be seen as an option if KKR decide to go for a long-term option and see in Nitish a player they want to keep for the years to follow.
Andre Russell
Having come out openly to slam Dinesh Karthik and his abysmal captaincy, one of KKR’s best player this season, Andre Russell was flummoxed by Karthik’s handling of the team. He eluded the captain’s dismal skill set to a lack of team atmosphere as well questioning his leadership abilities.
It was that interview among other prevalent, underlying issues that eventually exposed Karthik was way out his depth in the role he was accorded with. Having emerged their highest scorer this season with some good innings that saw him cleanly hit the ball, Russell who can contribute with a few overs as well will definitely come into consideration when the team management sit down to anoint a new captain.
