Brendon McCullum, known for introducing Bazball cricket to England cricket as head coach, says that his team will not be afraid to play an all-spin attack of the pitches and conditions demand such thing.
Tag: Brendon McCullum
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KKR will invest in Rinku Singh in coming years: Brendon McCullum
By PTI
NAVI MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum says young batter Rinku Singh has been their find of the ongoing IPL season and the franchise will invest in him in the coming years.
Rinku, who nearly pulled off an epic win with his breathtaking batting against Lucknow Super Giants here on Wednesday, earned high praise from McCullum.
“Absolutely he (Rinku) sure has (been the find of the season). Rinku is a player who KKR will invest in, no doubt, over the next few years and we will see him really progress and may even challenge for higher honours in time,” McCullum, who is set to take over as England’s next Test head coach, said at the post-match press conference.
Rinku, who scored 40 off just 15 balls, almost took his team to victory in their last league game against LSG at the DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday.
He was dismissed on the penultimate ball following a stunning catch by Evan Lewis.
The 24-year-Rinku, a left-handed batter and an off-break bowler, has been a revelation for KKR this season.
Among others, he played a match-winning unbeaten knock of 42 against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium.
“Not too many people are able to bat in middle-order and sort of be able to try (and) pull games out of the fire like he (Rinku) has almost done for us on a couple of occasions this year. Just a great guy and (I) am really pleased for him.
“I am heading in a different direction with the challenge of being able to coach England in front of me, but I will follow all KKR boys, particularly Rinku as well and all the guys I had to do fair bit in the last few years,” McCullum signed off.
NAVI MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum says young batter Rinku Singh has been their find of the ongoing IPL season and the franchise will invest in him in the coming years.
Rinku, who nearly pulled off an epic win with his breathtaking batting against Lucknow Super Giants here on Wednesday, earned high praise from McCullum.
“Absolutely he (Rinku) sure has (been the find of the season). Rinku is a player who KKR will invest in, no doubt, over the next few years and we will see him really progress and may even challenge for higher honours in time,” McCullum, who is set to take over as England’s next Test head coach, said at the post-match press conference.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Rinku, who scored 40 off just 15 balls, almost took his team to victory in their last league game against LSG at the DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday.
He was dismissed on the penultimate ball following a stunning catch by Evan Lewis.
The 24-year-Rinku, a left-handed batter and an off-break bowler, has been a revelation for KKR this season.
Among others, he played a match-winning unbeaten knock of 42 against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium.
“Not too many people are able to bat in middle-order and sort of be able to try (and) pull games out of the fire like he (Rinku) has almost done for us on a couple of occasions this year. Just a great guy and (I) am really pleased for him.
“I am heading in a different direction with the challenge of being able to coach England in front of me, but I will follow all KKR boys, particularly Rinku as well and all the guys I had to do fair bit in the last few years,” McCullum signed off.
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KKR will invest in Rinku Singh in coming years: Brendon McCullum
By PTI
NAVI MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum says young batter Rinku Singh has been their find of the ongoing IPL season and the franchise will invest in him in the coming years.
Rinku, who nearly pulled off an epic win with his breathtaking batting against Lucknow Super Giants here on Wednesday, earned high praise from McCullum.
“Absolutely he (Rinku) sure has (been the find of the season). Rinku is a player who KKR will invest in, no doubt, over the next few years and we will see him really progress and may even challenge for higher honours in time,” McCullum, who is set to take over as England’s next Test head coach, said at the post-match press conference.
Rinku, who scored 40 off just 15 balls, almost took his team to victory in their last league game against LSG at the DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday.
He was dismissed on the penultimate ball following a stunning catch by Evan Lewis.
The 24-year-Rinku, a left-handed batter and an off-break bowler, has been a revelation for KKR this season.
Among others, he played a match-winning unbeaten knock of 42 against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium.
“Not too many people are able to bat in middle-order and sort of be able to try (and) pull games out of the fire like he (Rinku) has almost done for us on a couple of occasions this year. Just a great guy and (I) am really pleased for him.
“I am heading in a different direction with the challenge of being able to coach England in front of me, but I will follow all KKR boys, particularly Rinku as well and all the guys I had to do fair bit in the last few years,” McCullum signed off.
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Venkatesh Iyer was a big catalyst in KKR’s turnaround in UAE leg: KKR coach Brendon McCullum
By PTI
DUBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum says young Venkatesh Iyer, with his flamboyance, played the role of a catalyst in turning around the fortunes of the side in the second leg of the just-concluded IPL here.
KKR was languishing at the seventh spot after the India leg was suspended in May this year due to COVID-19 outbreak in the tournament’s bio-bubble, but the Eoin Morgan-led side made a fantastic turnaround in the UAE phase, finishing as runner-up after losing to Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs in the final on Friday night.
“He (Iyer) will be challenged to change his methods at times too. He might not necessarily be the most consistent because of his flamboyancy. But I hope he remains the Venkatesh Iyer that we have seen so far. He’s got an enormous future in this game and he’s a very intelligent man. He was a big catalyst for our turnaround this season,” McCullum said at the post-match press conference.
McCullum said that Iyer’s has been “incredible story” after the lanky southpaw from Indore amassed 370 runs from 10 games this season. “But look, Venkatesh Iyer has been quite an incredible story. Looking back, he was actually going to play the last game, the next game when we were in India. In a funny way, the break came at a good time there. It gave him an opportunity to just get another couple of months of cricket under his belt, to understand that his opportunities weren’t too far away,” he said.
Himself a big advocate of aggressive brand of cricket, McCullum felt Iyer should not change his attacking game. “For him, it was a matter of bringing the game which he owns – the Venkatesh Iyer game plan to the table, which is aggressive intent. He’s a big presence, he’s a tall man. He plays the game with a bit of a cavalier kind of streak. And that is so important that he holds on to it,” said the KKR head coach.
Asked about Iyer’s chances of featuring in KKR’s retention list next season, McCullum quipped: “Look, we will deal with it next season.”
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Outplayed by very good CSK, Russell missed final as he was still at risk: KKR coach Brendon McCullum
By PTI
DUBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum conceded that his team was outplayed by a very good Chennai Super Kings side in the IPL final but also blamed an underwhelming middle-order batting performance for the comprehensive loss.
MCullum also stated that explosive batter Andre Russell could not make the XI despite working hard to be match-fit after a hamstring injury.
MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings to their fourth Indian Premier League title, outwitting Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in a one-sided final on Friday. “It’s a shame that we fell short, but we were outplayed by a very good CSK side today,” McCullum said at the post-match press conference.
McCullum agreed that Kolkata suffered a middle-order collapse and when asked whether the problem lay precisely there. “Yeah, I think, that’s a fair assessment. I think, our bowling group did really good job, we fielded well and our top-order batting was superb, but unfortunately we weren’t quite able to get the real impact through our middle-order players… there is a lot of experience there and they did not have the greatest of tournaments and that can happen at times,” lamented McCullum.
“…but again I am just really proud of all the guys for their efforts and what a story it was to go as close as we did after being under the pump half way through the,” he added. The former New Zealand mainstay said the campaign has been fulfilling in more ways than one. “…more positives than negatives, that is for sure and we walk away with our head held high,” he asserted.
McCullum also explained why Russell, who was recovering from a hamstring injury, could not make it to the summit clash. “…Andre obviously had a hamstring tear early on in the competition. He worked unbelievably hard to try and get himself available. He was still at risk there. And it was a risk, I felt in a final, we just couldn’t afford to take,” the former wicketkeeper-batter explained.
“And then we had another hamstring issue with Rahul Tripathi, so, look, such is the nature of hamstrings that he was never really sure whether they are going to be fully healed or not, and it’s such a big risk. …in the end we decided to go for the guys who had done so well for us to get into the final and I am really proud of all their achievements,” he added.
McCullum also lavished praise on the in-form Venkatesh Iyer, who played a key role in the team making it to the summit clash. Kolkata were languishing at the seventh spot after the India leg of the IPL was suspended, but in a remarkable turn of fortunes, the Eoin Morgan-led side ended up second.
Iyer amassed 370 runs from the 10 games that he played in the 2021 season and the head coach termed his story as an incredible one.
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We’ve got nothing to lose lads and that makes us dangerous: KKR coach Brendon Mccullum
By ANI
DUBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Brendon McCullum gave the players a motivating speech ahead of the side’s IPL 2021 final against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday.
KKR had won two games in the IPL 2021 during the first half but the side came back with strong performances in the UAE leg to qualify for the playoffs. The side then defeated Delhi Capitals and RCB to seal the final spot.
McCullum motivated KKR players ahead of the clash and said the side has nothing to lose which eventually makes them a dangerous team. “Imagine things work out and then in five weeks, we’re standing there with the trophy after two wins in seven games. Imagine that journey. Imagine the stories that you’ll get to tell,” said McCullum in a video posted by KKR on Twitter.
“Experiences that you got to share. That’s what’s in front of us. That should enthuse us, excite us. We’ve got nothing to lose lads. And that makes us dangerous,” he added.
MS Dhoni-led CSK has won the IPL title thrice and after putting on a dismal show in the 2020 season in UAE, the side made a remarkable comeback this year and some fearless cricket from the franchise has seen Dhoni’s men reach the finals.
On the other hand, Morgan’s side was completely down and out in the India leg as the side had won just two games out of seven. However, travelling to the UAE brought about a change in fortunes.
Venkatesh Iyer’s inclusion provided the much-needed boost to the batting lineup and the Kolkata-based franchise has been playing fearless cricket. Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, and Rahul Tripathi have done their job too this season.
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KKR’s Morgan, McCullum excited about paying in front of fans
By PTI
DUBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders captain Eoin Morgan is excited at the prospect of fans returning to the stadiums after the lifting of the coronavirus-enforced restrictions and cheering them on when the IPL-14 resumes in the UAE on Sunday.
The IPL, which was suspended midway into the 14th season of the league in May owing to multiple COVID-19 cases in its bio-bubble, will restart in the UAE on Sunday.
On Wednesday, it was announced that fans will be allowed to watch the matches in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah in limited numbers, keeping in mind the COVID protocols and the UAE government regulations.
“Incredibly excited to have fans back at the IPL this year. It’s been too long to hear that roar of the KKR fans at Eden Gardens.
Unfortunately, it’s not at home but I cannot wait to hear it here in the UAE,” Morgan was quoted as saying by the KKR website.
The England limited overs skipper was speaking on the sidelines of a training session.
Head coach Brendon McCullum too welcomed the move and believed that support from fans will spur them on as they seek a play-offs berth.
“That’s actually fantastic. We were talking about it whether the fans would be back. Now that we know they’re going to be, it’s fantastic. Hopefully all of the stadiums will be jam-packed with KKR fans.
“We can certainly use their support. We have got a big task in front of us and we will certainly rally when we get the support of our fans. So, hopefully we get plenty of it in the UAE.”
Batsman Rahul Tripathi also was excited over fans coming in for IPL matches for the first time since COVID-19 pandemic struck the world.
“We have missed them (fans) a lot during this period. It’s always fun when somebody is there in the stands to cheer for you. I must say welcome back to the fans.”
The two-time IPL champions are placed seventh in the points table with four points from seven matches.
KKR will start their second leg of the campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Abu Dhabi on September 20.
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Trying to get guys to free up in our side:Â Kolkata Knight Riders coach Brendon McCullum
By ANI
CHENNAI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) coach Brendon McCullum on Sunday said that as the coach of the franchise, he is trying to get all the players in his side to free up a bit and fully express themselves.His remarks came ahead of the start of KKR’s game against Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
“Coaching has been good. Obviously that century in IPL’s first ever game was a long time ago and my playing days are long done. Grateful for the opportunities I have had and some of the memories I have been able to create. It is the next stage of my life, as a coach, and it has been good. Trying to get the guys to free up a bit, giving them some of the experiences that I have had. It is a group of diverse cultures and the aim is to create a common goal,” McCullum told host broadcaster Star Sports.
“One of the things of batting on this pitch is to stay in the present. It means that the assessment of what you need to do at that point becomes easier. I try and instill belief in the guys. We have largely had the same set of players we had last year with some minor additions. They all get on well together, with each other and the support staff. We also ensured that the players spent time with their loved ones prior to the tournament because in these times, they will need that support. Bubble life can be tough,” he added.
Kohli-led RCB won the toss and opted to bat against KKR. RCB made one change to their lineup as the side brought in Rajat Patidar in place of Daniel Christian. On the other hand, KKR did not make any change to their playing XI from the last game.
RCB has won both its opening two games this season while KKR has managed to win one game and lose another.
KKR Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan, Shakib Al Hasan, Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Harbhajan Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Prasidh Krishna.
RCB Playing XI: Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (c), Shahbaz Ahmed, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Kyle Jamieson, Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.
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On this day in 2008: Brendon McCullum gave flying start to IPL
By ANI
NEW DELHI: On April 18, 2008, a global phenomenon in the form of the Indian Premier League (IPL) first came to light and went on to cement India’s stature as a powerhouse in the game of cricket.On this day, the first-ever match was played in the IPL, a battle between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
RCB won the toss and elected to bowl first. Little did they know, that a Kiwi batsman will take them to the cleaners. Put into bat, KKR got off to a flying start as openers Brendon McCullum and Sourav Ganguly put on 61 runs in just 5.2 overs.
Ganguly (10) was sent back to the pavilion by Zaheer Khan, but McCullum continued to march on. Hammering the bowlers to all round the park, McCullum spared no mercy on the opposition and as a result, he brought up his century in the 16th over of the innings.
As soon as brought up the feat, KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan gave him a standing ovation. McCullum however did not get bogged down and in the final four overs, he added 56 runs more to take his individual score to 158.
With this knock, KKR posted a mammoth score of 222/3 in the allotted twenty overs. KKR then had no difficulty in defending the score as the side bundled out RCB for just 82 runs, winning the match by 140 runs.
Ajit Agarkar was the pick of KKR bowlers as he returned with the figures of 3-25. This match gave a glorifying start to the competition as no one had known what the tournament had to offer before its start.
It was the first time that players were auctioned to take part in the compeititon, but in the end, this match settled all the myths and gave everyone satisfaction that it is indeed about cricket.
In the inaugural edition, KKR did not manage to reach the semi-finals, and it was Rajasthan Royals who managed to win the tournament.
Till date, 13 editions of the tournament have been played with Mumbai Indians winning it five times. Chennai Super Kings has won it thrice while KKR has managed to take the title twice.
The 14th edition of the tournament is underway and it will be played across six venues in India.