Ever had one of those days where everything clicks into place? Sunil Narine did on Sunday and he made sure that he made it count. Narine didn’t just step up as a player but he also stepped up as leader as he helped guide Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a memorable win against Delhi Capitals (DC) – a match which had all the makings of a thriller.
The Unplanned Captaincy
This wasn’t a day you could script. KKR’s captain Ajinkya Rahane had to leave the field after injuring himself trying to cut off a powerful shot from Faf du Plessis. In the chaos, Narine, who generally likes to operate under the radar, became captain. No big shows, no ducking for cover, just a nod — he was captain.
Genius Strategy in the Field
When DC were cruising at 130/3 after 13 overs, Narine’s first move was to bring back Varun Chakaravarthy, who had been expensive in his initial spell, to apply some pressure. Chakaravarthy did just that, only conceding nine runs in the 13th over.
Then, Narine had his own spell. He had highly educated Axar Patel out, which took a little adjusting to his angle (he hit a false shot), and was really the beginning of the magic. Narine then bowled Moore’s Tristan Stubbs out, and followed that up by taking out du Plessis with a terrific delivery in his final over. Narine ended his spell with impressive figures of 3 wickets for 29 runs and having a significant impact on the match.
The Fallout
KKR just snuck home for a 14-run victory, and in doing so, kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. Andre Russell summed it up best; “Bringing himself back was big for … that’s when we started believing in ourselves.”
A Personal Reflection
Watching Narine’s calm and calculated mindset, reminded me of a time when I needed to unexpectedly step up at my work place, with no opportunity to overthink; I just had to trust myself and make decisions. It is easy to suggest we step up as leaders, but leadership often reveals itself in an unexpected moment.
Have you been in a situation where you needed to lead unexpectedly? How did you manage it? Would love to hear below!
