NEW DELHI: Sunil Narine's success as an opener for Kolkata Knight Riders in the current IPL season can be attributed to the guidance of team mentor Gautam Gambhir, according to teammate Rinku Singh.
Narine's remarkable performance at the top of the order this season, amassing 276 runs in six games, is a stark contrast to his previous three seasons, where he scored only 154 runs while batting lower in the order.
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After his memorable century at Eden Gardens, Narine acknowledged Gambhir's role in making him open for the first time since 2017.
Rinku reiterated this sentiment, stating, "You can see the way Narine is batting this time. In every match, he's making runs, opening the batting and that was his (Gambhir's) idea only."
Narine's transformation as a batsman is evident in his improved stroke-making and patience at the crease.
Rinku attributed this change to Narine's hard work in the nets, saying, "Nothing much has changed. It's the result of his sheer hard work at the nets."
He also noted that Narine has become more thoughtful and wise in his approach, playing according to the merit of the ball.
Despite Narine's impressive century, Rajasthan Royals emerged victorious, thanks to Jos Buttler's unbeaten 107 off 60 balls.
Rinku acknowledged Buttler's innings as the turning point and credited Rajasthan Royals for their performance. He also mentioned that luck played a role in the outcome of the match.
1/9:Jos Buttler pips Sunil Narine in RR's record chase vs KKR
<p>Jos Buttler pips Sunil Narine in RR's record chase vs KKR</p>AFP
2/9:Buttler's Mastery
<p>Jos Buttler scored an unbeaten 107, leading Rajasthan Royals to a record IPL chase against Kolkata Knight Riders.</p>AFP
3/9:Rajasthan's Historic Chase
<p>Chasing 224, Rajasthan Royals achieved the target on the final ball, equaling their 2020 record chase against the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in Sharjah.</p>AFP
4/9:Buttler's Impact
<p>Entering as an impact substitute, Buttler reached his ton in 55 balls, setting up a thrilling finish to a fiesty encounter.</p>AFP
5/9:Surpassing Chris Gayle
<p>With his performance, Buttler surpassed Chris Gayle, securing seven IPL centuries, just behind Virat Kohli.</p>AFP
6/9:Pivotal partnerships
<p>Buttler's partnerships with Riyan Parag and Rovman Powell were crucial in Rajasthan's chase.</p>AFP
7/9:The Narine Show
<p>Despite the loss, Sunil Narine's 109 off 56 balls was a highlight, marking his first T20 century.</p>AFP
8/9:Century Celebration
<p>Sunil Narine scored his first T20 century on Tuesday. Amassing his century with a plethora of 4s and 6s, Narine's celebration was a memorable moment of the match.</p>AFP
9/9:Remain second
<p>Despite Narine's effort, KKR remain second in the standings, with notable contributions from the team's players such as Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh. </p>AFPWith KKR's top-order performing well this season, Rinku, who was their leading run-getter in IPL 2023, has had fewer opportunities to showcase his batting skills.
However, he maintains a strike rate of over 184 and is confident of returning to playing full matches after recovering from a niggle that limited him to the role of an Impact Sub in the previous game.
(With inputs from PTI)
