Chris Lynn played only five matches for the Kolkata Knight Riders in his first three seasons and scored only 89 runs. A figure that left one and all astonished considering the hard-hitting Australian’s unbelievable batting prowess in the Big Bash League.
The right-handed batsman was named the player of the tournament for the BBL season in 2016, after ending the tournament as its highest run-getter.
In the last edition of the Australia’s premier T20 tournament, Lynn once again bagged the top award for the player after clobbering 309 runs in only five matches, including a season-high 26 sixes.
His exploits in the Big Bash League was probably the biggest reason behind Kolkata Knight Riders’ decision to not sell him and the Aussie batsman finally repaid the faith in the first match of the 2017 season.
Lynn was asked to partner Gautam Gambhir at the top of the order after Gujarat Lions posted an imposing 183 in the first innings. The task was never going to be a mean one.
Moreover, Lynn had the extra responsibility of doing well as he had to replace Robin Uthappa, who had done remarkably well as an opener for the two-time IPL champions. But when the match at Rajkot ended, Lynn had left everyone spellbound with his brutal batting.
He fired on all cylinders right from the outset and raced to a 19-ball fifty, hammering 23 runs against Dwayne Smith in the seventh over. The 26-year old did not take his foot off the pedal and kept on playing the big shots to guide KKR to a comprehensive 10-wicket victory.
He blasted an unbeaten 93 off just 41 to blow the Lions away in their own den.
The explosive knock was studded with six fours and eight sixes, on the other end, his partner Gautam Gambhir was also looking in his elements and remained unbeaten on 76 off only 48 deliveries as the visitors reached the target in the 15th over.
“We knew we had to get off to a good start and we did that, we put them under pressure in the first six overs and then we took our momentum from there,” Lynn told iplt20.com after the game.
Speaking about his approach while batting, he explained:
“I try and keep things very simple, it’s as simple as see ball, hit the ball. If they bowl a good ball, you’ve got to respect that and try and get down at the other end and if they bowl a bad ball, you’ve to try and put it away. That’s as simple as I can put it. And if I’m not having fun, I’m not going to do well. That’s the main thing.”
Lynn was opening an innings for only the third time in his 87-match T20 career but found little difficulty in adjusting to the situation initially.
Opening the batting also gave him the chance to play his natural game against the pacers.
“Probably just the [adjustment to the] bounce, and maybe as a batter you might put your stance a little bit lower and you’ve got to hold your shape a little bit more. As an opener the difference is minimal but batting in the middle order has a lot more changes – starting against spin is one thing. But upfront it’s generally the ball slotting on, and it’s a nice hard Kookaburra… as I said, have a bit of fun and you never know. I had a little bit of luck tonight but you make use of luck so it’s a positive thing,” he said.
“It may not always be my night but fingers crossed I can always pick that momentum and ride that wave throughout that tournament now. So that’s the challenge and teams are going to watch the footage and work a plan out and I’m going to have to try and throw a punch back and go one better, that’s part of the game but it’s great fun while we’re doing it,” he added.
Gambhir played the perfect second fiddle to Lynn as the duo’s partnership of 184 is now the highest opening partnership in the history of the IPL.
The pair also broke the record for the highest opening stand for KKR, bettering Gambhir and Robin Uthappa’s 121 against Rajasthan Royals in 2014. No surprises then that Lynn enjoyed batting alongside Gambhir.
“I’m just really happy with the way we gelled, we did it so quickly. That’s probably the second time I’ve batted with GG now. We were very comfortable, we ran between the wickets well and that’s the best sign coming out of it. It’s good fun and to do it none down was even more special.
“First I was happy to get off the mark, then get the fifty but the way Gauti was batting, he was never going to give me a chance to get to a hundred. But I’ll take 90 not out any day of the week over a hundred, as everyone says the team comes first,” he concluded.