KKR - Settling for the Last Position?

There is a limit to everything. Before each match I pray, that this will the match in which KKR will turn around. But how long can you hope or pray? KKR team has become the joke of the season and everyone is laughing at its expense. Shahrukh has produced a blockbuster comedy, just by being himself. Every News Paper , every Web Site , every Blogger is spewing venom about the KKR team, reading everything that is being written, I am feeling numb. Imagine if this is the situation of a Fan, what will be the situation of the Owner, Director of Coaches, CEO, Players and everyone who is attached to the team, I am sure they are brain dead by now. Everyone may beg to disagree, KKR's director of coaches was brain dead all along they would argue.

The Knight Riders are not the strongest on the paper and their team formation is flawed. But the strongest team doesn't necessarily win always. We have seen what happened to Deccan Chargers last year and what Rajasthan Royals achieved. The lack of skill and ability can be overcome with Passion, Determination and Will to excel. We have seen many mediocre players excel or atleast rise to the occasion with the help of sheer passion, many underdogs beating the favorites. But Buchanan & Co. nipped that possibility in the bud by removing Saurav from the captaincy and making McCullum the captain and that too at the 11th hour. The way the whole saga was handled, it only managed to destroy the team’s morale. I always thought Shahrukh was an intelligent man, but his stance on this matter makes me think otherwise.

Everyone makes mistakes but you have to learn from your mistakes. But Buchanan and Co are too proud to even accept their mistakes, let alone learn from them. You don't have to be a Physiatrist to understand that McCullum is reeling under the pressure of handing 3 responsibilities - Opening the Batting and giving the team a flying start, Wicketkeeping and Captaining the side. But we still don't see any effort to change. Even for the sake of change he could be demoted in the batting order to allow his nerves to settle down. With Chris Gayle in the team, it was at the best interest of the team that a solid player be sent to open with Gayle and given the task of scoring only a run a ball. Would that be too difficult for Akash Chopra or even Buchanan's favourite Brad Hodge?? Mindless team selection, Mindless Batting Order and Mindless Bowling Changes is hurting the team. If you start counting the atrocious decisions taken by the team management, defying all cricketing logic, it would be staggering number. Mccullum would be happy if he could score that many runs in a match. It continued even today. On a spinning wicket Ajantha Mendis was not given a match. Laxmiratan, who bowled so wel in the last match, was not given to bowl. Why Saurav in the 5th over? Questions, questions and more questions but you will never get an answer. The standard line from the management will be 'If these decisions were successful everyone would have been praising us'. Sure everyone would be praising, but there is big IF in between. If everything that doesn't happen normally start happening who knows what would have happened? Confused...right???

Shahrukh Khan couldn't take it any more, and finally realizing that there is also a limit to the negative publicity he can take flew back to India. Suddenly he has become the most responsible Indian Citizen. I heard he will be back only if the team starts winning. In the mean time he will probably just write blogs in the KKR website to inspire his team. Shahrukh you must have heard the adage "Drastic situations calls for drastic measures" if this is not a drastic situation, then what is?

Just read the statments made by your team management and you should have a fair understanding of how murky their thoughts have become. Some clear thinking personality should take charge as soon as possible.

1. Joy Bhattacharjee says "John has too much respect in Sanjay and Aakash and their abilities to have them hang around if he does not think they will play". Hilarious isn't it? If they have the ability to demand Johns respect, why will they not play???

2. John Buchanan says "The team is becoming stiff because of the HardTraining that they have done, we need more flexibility". How enlightening. Your idea of flexibility - Brendon at Number 1, Gayle Number 2, Hodge 3 and Ganguly 4 for match after match without considering the opponent, match conditions??

3. Brendon Says "If I can't take the team to the semis, I will quit." If??? When will you know that you have not made it to the Semis? On 22nd May?? When the Semis will be played and you will be back in NewZeeland. If your team is not the tournament, then are you quitting from the next years team??

KKR has been playing matches every alternate day. It has now 2 days between the matches. What can they do next to revigorate themselves? They have tried everything - Bonding session after a match, time out at the beach to relax. But will it bring their mind back into the Game?