Indian Premier League 2020: Pat Cummins will add much-needed experience in Kolkata Knight Riders, says Nitish Rana

Pat Cummins` addition in the Kolkata Knight Riders` squad will give the team much-needed experience ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), the all-rounder Nitish Rana said on Thursday.

The left-handed batsman also said that the young bowlers in the side should learn from Cummins in order to bolster their own skills.

The IPL 2020 will be played from September 19-November 10 in the UAE across three venues — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.

“With the addition of Pat Cummins, our squad will get the much-needed experience. All the young bowlers in our group should look to learn from Cummins and this will help them to grow. Kamlesh Nagarkoti has come back stronger this time, he was injured the last time around but he is looking in a good rhythm now, and hopefully, he will do well for the side this time around,” Rana said in a virtual press conference today.

KKR has bolstered their ranks with the addition of England white-ball skipper Eoin Morgan and Rana said that the left-handed batsman will help the KKR middle-order look more ominous for the opposition.

“I am excited with Morgan being a part of our side this year, he is a World Cup winner and I feel that he is a rare left-hander who is so dominant in white-ball cricket. I am looking forward to learning many things from him as he is successful in whatever he has done. I am looking to grow so I would want to learn many aspects of the game from him,” Rana said.

Speaking about head coach Brendon McCullum, Rana said: “I feel that I play an aggressive brand of cricket, when I was young I was a fan of Brendon McCullum. I was pretty excited when I got to know that he would be coaching our side. I just want that he coaches us in the same aggressive manner he played his cricket.”

Last year, Rana was used as a floater by the KKR management and for this edition, Rana said that he is ready to do any role that the team demands from him.

“I want that the top-order scores so many runs that middle order doesn`t even get a chance to come to the forefront. As long as we are winning, there is nothing bigger than that. Whatever the team demands from me, I am open to that. Last season, I batted at every position, I am not rigid about any batting position, I can do every role that the side asks from me.”

Mumbai Indians will lock horns with Chennai Super Kings in the tournament opener on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.

Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Mumbai Indians in their first match of the tournament on September 23.

KKR squad: Dinesh Karthik (c), Andre Russell, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Nitish Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Rinku Singh, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Mavi, Shubman Gill, Siddhesh Lad, Sunil Narine, Chris Green, Eoin Morgan, M Siddharth, Nikhil Naik, Praveen Tambe, Pat Cummins, Rahul Tripathi, Tom Banton, Varun Chakravarthy.