Kolkata Knight Riders played it like a warrior on the nights of the final and won the IPL 2024 title after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets. The match was played at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on May 26 and KKR showed dominance in all the departments of cricket.
Meanwhile, after the title-winning, the bowling coach of KKR Bharat Arun credited three people for the improved performance of the team this year. He said that mentor Gautam Gambhir, all-rounder Sunil Narine, and pacer Mitchell Starc are the reason why KKR has managed to lift the trophy for the third time in history.
Gambhir returned to the team as a mentor before the season began, while Starc emerged as the most expensive player for KKR with a price tag of 24.75 crores. Narine transformed himself into a genuine all-rounder and performed as the opener of the side.
After KKR’s 8-wicket win, Arun spoke about the positive impact Starc had on the team, noting that his presence boosted the confidence of the young pacers. The KKR bowling coach praised Starc’s excellent performance once he adapted to the Indian conditions. Arun also expressed satisfaction with the performances of Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy.
“I think Mitch coming into the team boosted the confidence of other youngsters in the side. He is probably the best bowler in the world. Once he understood the Indian conditions, he was excellent. Spinners mature with age, and with Sunny and Varun bowling in tandem, it was superb,” said Arun.
He further added, “He brought a different dimension to our batting. It was Gautam who insisted that he opened and it paid dividends. It’s a great night and now it’s time to celebrate.”
