Hyderabad: If Kolkata Knight Riders thought that they’d landed themselves a ditch post Sunil Narine’s suspect bowling action being reported, then they’ll have to rethink. It’s more of a quagmire in there, with the team getting sucked further into trouble.
Sunil Narine, their frontline bowler, was pulled up in KKR’s encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad on the 22nd of this month, for suspect bowling action and was thereafter sent to Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy and Sports Sciences Centre (SRASSC) in Chennai to have his action tested.
Kolkata Knight Riders were hit by a bolt, when the results didn’t go in Narien favour, prompting the BCCI to ban him from bowling off-spinners for the rest of the League.
While it might be of some solace that the bowler himself hasn’t been banned, yet, preventing him from unleashing his weapon would be like asking warriors to go to battleground with their swords to be used with the sheaths.
Narine has been average in this League, and the ban on his off spinners just make matters worse for him and more so for his team. If one can recall, Kolkata Knight Riders had fought hammer and tongs for the inclusion of this bowler, even threatening to pull out of the series if his name wouldn’t be cleared.
This problem had to come up because Narine had been reported earlier for his suspect bowling action. This time around, even though the ban isn’t as severe as one would have expected, yet, it comes as a big blow for Kolkata Knight Riders, who were riding, rather heavily on his wave.
As of now, Narine is allowed to bowl, only if he doesn’t bowl his off spinners. The IPL issued a release which said, “Following the provisions of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy, the committee has concluded that Narine’s bowling action for his off-spinner, contravenes Law 24.2 (as read with Law 24.3) of the Laws of Cricket and therefore the player is now banned from bowling the off-spinner in matches organised by the BCCI, including the IPL. He may however continue to bowl his other deliveries (the knuckle ball and the quicker straight ball).”
In case Narine happens to unleash one of his off-spinners, it will be promptly called a no-ball. “If Mr. Narine were to again bowl the off-spinner in this season’s IPL, the on-field umpires would apply Law 24.2 and call ‘No ball’ and, at the end of the match, would issue a further report.
Pursuant to clause 3.4 of the IPL Suspected illegal Bowling Action Policy, the player would in such circumstances automatically will be suspended from bowling in BCCI-organised matches,” the statement said.
This would further dent the confidence of the bowler, as not just will he have to bowl correctly, putting a lid on the scoring rate and scalping the wickets, but would also have to take care that even by mistake, he doesn’t let the off spin get the better of him.
At this stage, KKR would be really contemplating whether to axe the bowler, for which they have valid reasons, or stick by him after so much rucks they created initially. Either way, they’re on the wrong foot.