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'I think Mitch coming into the team boosted the confidence of other youngsters in the side'
Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach Bharat Arun lauded his bowling attack following their emphatic eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2024 final on Sunday. The win marked KKR's third IPL title and their first in a decade.
Arun singled out pacers Harshit Rana and Mitchell Starc for their crucial contributions throughout the season.
He spoke highly of Rana's consistent performances, stating, "He (Harshit) has been outstanding. It is about backing your strengths."
Commenting on Starc's impact, Arun said, "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."
The 22-year-old Rana emerged as the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, grabbing 19 wickets in 13 matches with an impressive average of 20.15. His best bowling figures were a commendable 3/24.
Starc, the most expensive IPL player ever at Rs 24.75 crore, justified his hefty price tag with crucial performances in the playoffs. He picked up five wickets across Qualifier 1 and the final, including a vital three-wicket haul against SRH in Qualifier 1.
Arun also acknowledged the contributions of spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine. He revealed that the decision to open the batting with Narine was inspired by mentor Gautam Gambhir, a tactic that proved highly successful.
"Spinners mature with age, and with Sunny and Varun bowling in tandem, it was superb," Arun remarked. "(On Narine the batter) He brought a totally different dimension to our batting. It was Gautam who insisted that he opened and it paid dividends."
Varun Chakaravarthy delivered with his spin, taking 21 wickets in 15 matches with an average of 19.14. Sunil Narine, meanwhile, displayed his all-round talent, not only claiming 17 wickets but also amassing 488 runs at an average of 34.85 and a blistering strike rate of 180.74. He even smashed a century and three fifties, with a top score of 109.
"It is a great night and now it is time to celebrate," declared the KKR bowling coach. The emphatic win underlined the well-rounded performance of the KKR bowling unit, with both pacers and spinners playing a pivotal role in securing the IPL 17 title.