IPL 2021: Ferguson will push for selection, says Hussey

Kolkata Knight Riders mentor David Hussey praised the Rajasthan Royals bowlers for setting up the six-wicket win at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

“With Brendon McCullum as coach, we like to play with a lot more freedom. There was no deliberate plan to bat slow; full credit to the Royals bowlers as they did not allow us to play the Kolkata Knight Riders cricket upfront,” he told reporters.

The Knight Riders slipped to eighth after four losses. And Hussey feels it’s time for head coach Brendon McCullum to make a few changes. Taking into account the success of fast bowlers in the Indian Premier League, he believes New Zealand quick Lockie Ferguson will push for selection.

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“Ferguson is a class act. An excellent bowler from New Zealand and he played well for the Knight Riders last year in the United Arab Emirates. He has depth and he will push for selection over the remaining games. Everyone is on the table in terms of selection but Brendon’s got some tough decisions to make,” he said.

'Shubman, a star player'

Shubman Gill’s lacklustre form is not a concern for Hussey. He backed the youngster to deliver the goods in the remaining games. “He is a star player and he took the Test match area by storm in Australia. The way he works at the nets is very specific. Form will come and go but class is always permanent. He will be one of the highest-scoring batsmen by the end of the tournament. He is an absolute class act,” added Hussey.

The Knight Riders will hope to revive their campaign against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad on Monday.