Knight Riders have gambled by picking Lee, says Akram
By IANSTuesday, January 11, 2011
NEW DELHI - Pakistan’s legendary fast bowler and Knight Riders bowling consultant Wasim Akram said the Kolkata outfit has gambled by picking Australian fast bowler Brett Lee in the team for the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“Injury-prone Lee is a potential risk but Knight Riders won’t mind taking it. Lee is part of Australia’s World Cup plans. He is playing Twenty20 in the KFC Big Bash. But there is certainly a risk involved with him or any other fast bowler for that matterm,” Akram was quoted as saying by ESPNStar.com.
“The speedster might have been out of action for a year and a half but he is now fit and hungry. He is surely a threat to any opposition and he is a kind of gamble that any franchise would love to take,” Akram added.
Akram, however, is surprised Sourav Ganguly and Chris Gayle were unsold in the IPL-4 auction.
“Ganguly is a dear friend of mine. I thought he would be picked up by some franchise for his experience and leadership qualities. But it was a big surprise when he was totally ignored,” Akram said.
On Gayle said: “I just can’t believe it. Gayle is a game-changer but probably never fits the scheme of things for many teams. Maybe, teams think that Gayle does not help youngsters in the side.”
Akram also said that by picking Daredevils captain Gautam Gambhir, for a record $2.4 million, and Yusuf Pathan ($2.1 million), Knight Riders have made a fantastic team.
“Knight Riders definitely had a plan to catch top marquee Indian players. But I think they had planned for one and got two. Both Gambhir and Yusuf are match-winners. Gambhir is a good mix of calmness and aggression. Yusuf, on the other hand, is a useful bowler and a very good fielder,” Akram said.
“All the other buys, including Jacques Kallis, Shakib Al-Hasan, Manoj Tiwari and the likes, are good enough. Their plan has certainly worked. KKR definitely are a good team. And I am not saying this because I am with them. They genuinely have a very good team composition,” concluded Akram.
