IPL 2024: Phil Salt absence won't effect KKR, reckons Virender Sehwag

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be without their star batter Phil Salt as they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2024 on Tuesday (May 21).

However, former India batter Virender Sehwag is optimistic about KKR's prospects, even in Salt's absence. He voiced his confidence that another player from KKR will step up in the crucial match.

Phil Salt has been a key player for KKR, contributing significantly with his batting prowess. Throughout the season, he has amassed 435 runs in 12 matches, forming a formidable opening partnership with Sunil Narine. Sehwag noted Salt's importance but stressed the opportunity for others to shine.

"It's not like one player's absence will drop the value of your team. It's just that the other player needs to perform well. What will actually matter is that one of your in-form players will be absent. How Phil Salt has performed, the runs he has scored, the strike rate he batted with, these will be missed by KKR," Sehwag said while speaking with Cricbuzz.

The departure of other England players from the IPL to prepare for the T20I series against Pakistan has impacted several teams. Following a washed-out game against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 19, KKR's focus is now on facing SRH without Salt, who was roped in as a replacement for Jason Roy.

With options like Rahmanullah Gurbaz and KS Bharat available, KKR has potential replacements for Salt. The decision on who will fill the void left by Salt will be crucial in the upcoming match against SRH. The Afghan is the likely replacement, but KKR can also explore Bharat and play someone like Sherfane Rutherford to strengthen their middle-order for the SRH clash.