Chopping and changing isn’t ideal, says KKR’s star pacer

Xtra Time Web Desk: New Zealand pacer Tim Southee opened up on Kolkata Knight Riders’ struggles with their opening pair in batting, saying chopping and changing isn’t ideal but the team is still trying to find the right combination in the ongoing IPL.

KKR have used four different opening combinations in this edition but didn’t bear fruit as the team suffered its fifth loss on the trot on Thursday night to lie at the seventh position in the points table.

“It’s hard when you haven’t had the wins you wanted. After a big auction, we are still trying to find the right combinations,” Southee said during the post-match press conference following KKR’s four-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals.

“We’ve tried a few opening combinations and there are no bad players in the IPL, they’re all class acts. The guys who’ve opened, have pure class as well. So, it’s just about guys finding form and running with guys who’ve found form.

“The chopping and changing nature isn’t ideal, but that happens when you aren’t winning a lot of games.” If Ajinkya Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer opened in their first five games, three different combinations with Sunil Narine, Aaron Finch and Sam Billings were used at the top in KKR’s last four matches.