Kallis warns against KKR's complacency

While expressing satisfaction at Kolkata Knight Rider's rise to the top of the IPL points table, the team's head coach Jacques Kallis has warned against developing any complacency that may inhibit his team's campaign.

Published : May 05, 2016 18:54 IST , Kolkata

Jacques Kallis at a golfing event in Kolkata on Thursday.
Jacques Kallis at a golfing event in Kolkata on Thursday.
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Jacques Kallis at a golfing event in Kolkata on Thursday.

Even as Kolkata Knight Riders coach Jacques Kallis accompanied his players to enjoy a game of golf and lend support for a charity work, he could not switch himself off completely from the thought of his team’s unfinished job in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season.

>Report: KKR ekes out seven-run win against KXIP, tops IPL table

“It cannot be all work and no pleasure,” said Kallis on the occasion of ‘Knight Golf’ at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) here on Thursday.

However, when he encountered questions about KKR’s journey so far, Kallis was all serious. “The positive, of course, is we are at the top of the table. A negative might be we [were] pretty similar to this last year, then (we were) sort of relaxed towards the end. We are aware of that and hopefully we have learnt from it. We're working hard. The way the guys gelling together to get a balanced side, there is a lot of positives going forward.”

'Fighting spirit'

The South African patted his players on the back for notching up a fantastic seven-run win over Kings XI Punjab the previous night at the Eden Gardens. “It was a magnificent effort keeping in view that the guys were tired after a long trip. It just showed the fighting spirit. Even as they were tired, they managed to put in a big performance. I am really proud of the way they played so far.

On KKR scheduled to play four home matches, Kallis said, “You still have to play good cricket. We can't just sit back and expect that we will win at home. It is nice to have that cushion. Hopefully, we can carry that forward. Probably you need eight wins. That means two more for us. Certainly that will be our first objective," said Kallis.

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