Kolkata Knight Riders’ mentor Gautam Gambhir backed his team’s costliest buy, pacer Mitchell Starc, hoping that the Australian would make an impact later in the Indian Premier League.

Bowling with an economy of 11.75, Starc has captured only two wickets in four matches. Gambhir felt it was too early to write off the experienced left-arm pacer in the slam-bang version. “We all know how big a threat Starc is. Four matches doesn’t make him a bad bowler. I know what impact he can make.

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“We’ve got three wins out of four. In a team sport, it’s the wins that matter… I feel Starc has done reasonably okay. He has bowled some tough overs. He will make an impact, what he has been picked for,” said Gambhir on the eve of KKR’s home match against Lucknow Super Giants here at the Eden Gardens.

Gambhir said that second-placed KKR needed to perform well in all conditions. “To be successful in a competition like this, we have to keep improving irrespective of how the start has been.”

Gambhir, who earlier served as LSG’s mentor, did not give much importance to his switch to KKR colours, saying performances on the field mattered the most.