IPL 2019 | Problem is with Robin Uthappa’s mindset, not age, says former KKR director Joy Bhattacharjya

05/06/2019

Joy Bhattacharjya, former team director of Kolkata Knight Riders, has stated that Robin Uthappa’s mindset has been the problem for him in this season of the Indian Premier League. The wicket-keeper batsman has only scored 282 runs in 11 innings at a mere strike rate of 115.

Robin Uthappa has been an integral part of Kolkata Knight Riders since he was picked up in the 2014 season and was also the highest run-scorer then. He has played as an opener for KKR for most of the matches but was forced to play at number three since the team punted with Sunil Narine in 2017.

The 33-year-old started with a 35-run innings in the first game followed by a 67-run innings off just 50 balls in the next. However, he was shifted down the order at number three as he had crossed the 30-run mark only once in the next five innings. The inaugural World T20 champion was even dropped for two games and did not get to bat in his comeback match against Mumbai Indians on April 28.

He then scored 22 off 14 against Kings XI Punjab but his worst nightmare came true in the virtual knockout encounter against Mumbai Indians on May 5, where he huffed and puffed in his painfully slow innings of 40 in 47 balls. Joy Bhattacharjya, who was KKR’s director during Uthappa’s inaugural season with the side, feels that there is some issue with the mindset of the Karnataka batsman.

“I saw Robin earlier in the season batting and there were a couple of matches where he just looked so beautiful, hitting that ball straight for six, he just looked so good. So my point is I don’t think it is a problem still with his age, it is just here (his mindset). Somewhere, something is misfiring because he still has those shots,” Bhattacharjya said in Cricbuzz Live discussion.