Kolkata Knight Riders have roped in Kiwi speedster Tim Southee as a replacement player for Pat Cummins for UAE leg of IPL 2021. It is certainly a wise call taken by Kolkata based franchise to replace Pat Cummins with the bowler who has the same stature in International cricket.
Southee was gone unsold in 2019 season of IPL but before that he featured for Royal Challengers Bangalore .
During the IPL second leg tenure, Kiwi bound player including the likes of skipper Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, James Neesham and others will be travelling to UAE however the other team led by Tom Latham will be travelling to Bangladesh and Pakistan for limited over series.
The addition of Southee to KKR will certainly give much confidence to Eoin Morgan led KKR side who has won two matches out of seven they have played in the first leg of IPL 2021.
Taking about his IPL journey in the past he has shared dressing room with the franchises like Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals , Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore before being unsold for IPL 2019 edition. He made his debut for IPL in 2011 and have played 40 matches till 2019 which is quite less number of matches based on his stature.
The reason why ace Kiwi speedster was dropped from RCB and wasn’t retained because in the last edition has leaked runs immensely at a run rate of 13 in three matches he was part of. Taking about his International career , he has played 82 International matches where he has clinched 99 wickets and has also picked a five wicket haul. KKR will be hoping that ace speedster if he plays this time around for KKR starts better with ball and his franchise will be resuming their IPL campaign against defending champions Mumbai Indians on September 20th in Abu Dhabi.
