IPL 2021: Losing key players will be a huge disappointment – Brendon McCullum

Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum feels losing key players will be a huge disappointment.

KKR would be under pressure as England Cricket team’s director Ashley Giles has confirmed that the English players won’t be available for the second leg of IPL 2021, which will be played in the UAE.

This means KKR will be without the services of their skipper Eoin Morgan. Furthermore, KKR’s gun fast bowler Pat Cummins has confirmed that he won’t travel to UAE for the second phase of the tournament. Consequently, KKR will miss the services of two of their key players and it will be a huge blow for them.

However, McCullum also believes that the absence of the big players will give an opportunity to young players to step up and take the responsibility of guiding the team. McCullum feels Shubman Gill and Nitish Rana will need to put the onus on their shoulders and they can deliver for the team.

“If we were to lose some of those guys because that would be really disappointing. Structurally we had set it up to rely on those people. Some of those personalities, which we had picked, I knew if we were under pressure they would still be ready for the long haul and still remain very calm during those key times,” McCullum told Sports Today.

“I think of Pat Cummins and Eoin Morgan, really calm and cool customers. If we were to lose them, then we have to find guys to step up into those roles, that’s exciting and a good opportunity for some other guys.

“That might be some of the Indian boys and they might not be ready for such kind of responsibility just yet. That brings an opportunity, that gives a chance to someone like Shubman Gill or Nitish Rana to play beyond their years and grab the opportunity and drag the young Indian boys along. I am excited about what lies ahead and it’s not going to be easy,” he added.

KKR didn’t have the best of first half of IPL 2021 as they could only manage two wins out of the seven matches they played. Thus, KKR will need to turn the tables in the second half. KKR were not at their best and they will need to come up with a collective effort in the second phase of IPL 2021.