IPL 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will play their first match in the Indian Premier League against Sunrisers Hyderabad at home on March 23. They could not make it to the playoffs last season. The team last won the title in 2014.
After English batsman Jason Roy withdrew from the current season, the team is once again facing the problem of opening. In such a situation, captain Shreyas Iyer and Manish Pandey will have the responsibility of the top order. In the last auction, the franchise had bought 10 players including 4 foreigners by spending Rs 31.35 crore. These include 7 capped and 3 uncapped players.
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Roy-Atkinson step down this season; Pandey will handle the top order
This season, Kolkata has a strong middle order, excellent all-rounders and sharp bowling attack. The top order of the team can struggle. The middle order has batsmen like Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine. Captain Shreyas Iyer can take charge in the top order along with Manish Pandey and Venkatesh.
In bowling, Dushmantha Chameera has been included in place of Gus Atkinson, Mitchell Starc is already there. There are bowlers like Varun Chakravarthy and Chetan Sakaria.
Possible playing-11
Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Mitchell Starc, Sunil Narine, Suyash Sharma, Varun Chakravarthy.
Impact Player: Manish Pandey.
Strength
- Batting strengthened with the arrival of Iyer-Pandey Captain Shreyas Iyer is returning from injury this season and the franchise has bought Manish Pandey in the last auction. Both of them are strengthening the batting of the team.
- Many power hitters in the middle order Kolkata’s middle order looks great. It has names like Sunil Narine, Sherfan Rutherford and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The middle order has power hitters like Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Phil Salt who can finish the match.
- Starc will make a difference The team has fast bowlers like Mitchell Starc and Dushmantha Chameera. Also, Varun Chakravarthy is handling the spin bowling along with Afghan spinner Majib Ur Rahman.
Weakness
- No specialist openers After the departure of English batsman Jason Roy, Kolkata does not have specialist openers. In such a situation, the team will have to make do with alternative players. The team’s openers have been struggling for the last two seasons.
- The backup pacers are weak, Atkinson is gone. The team’s backup pacers are weak. Mitchell Starc and Dushmantha Chameera are playing. But in their absence the pace attack may be in trouble. The lack of experience in the Indian bowling line can cause harm.
- Iyer’s form Captain Shreyas Iyer is making a comeback after a long time. In such a situation, his form and fitness is a matter of concern. Recently, Iyer did not participate in a Ranji match due to back trouble, even though the NCA team had declared him fit.
