Following a lackluster 2023 season, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are keen to kick off Indian Premier League 2024 on a positive note. With Shreyas Iyer returning as captain and Gautam Gambhir rejoining as mentor, KKR's prospects look promising. They secured victory in only six out of 14 games last season, finishing seventh on the points table. Hopefully, the former captain, who led them to two titles, can inspire the team to perform better.
According to the IPL 2024 schedule unveiled by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Kolkata Knight Riders are set to clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the league's third match at their home turf, Eden Gardens, on March 23.
KKR STRENGTH
KKR excels in batting with Phil Salt, Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell, Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Rinku Singh. Their spin department, comprising Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Suyash Sharma, is formidable.
In addition to Narine and Chakravarthy, KKR has acquired the services of Mujeeb Ur Rahman. The Afghan right-arm off-break bowler, the youngest to take a five-wicket haul in ODI cricket, will further enhance KKR's spin options.
KKR WEAKNESS
While KKR boasts a strong batting lineup and spin attack, their pacers' performance, especially in death overs, remains crucial for IPL success. Despite acquiring Mitchell Starc for INR 24.75 crores, they released Umesh Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, and Tim Southee, increasing reliance on Starc's experience. However, overdependence on him is concerning, with newcomers Chetan Sakariya and Dushmantha Chameera lacking IPL experience. Their performance in IPL 2024 will determine KKR's success in containing batters during crucial stages.
KKR OPPORTUNITIES
Shreyas Iyer and Gautam Gambhir's comeback to KKR will greatly benefit the team. Shreyas, recovering from a back surgery, missed captaincy last year but has since displayed promising form post-injury. Under Gambhir's mentorship, he aims to excel. Phil Salt, stepping in for Jason Roy, has an opportunity to validate the management's decision. His versatility in batting positions provides the team with flexibility.
KKR THREAT
Andre Russell's performance is pivotal for KKR, but his recent inconsistency due to injuries and high expectations is concerning. Sunil Narine's batting also needs improvement, having contributed minimally lately. Both West Indies players must deliver their best for KKR's success in IPL 2024, given their potential impact when in top form.
KKR PREDICTED XI
Shreyas Iyer (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mitchell Starc, Chetan Sakariya, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey (impact sub)
KKR SQUAD
Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Phil Salt, Sunil Narine, Suyash Sharma, Anukul Roy, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, KS Bharat, Chetan Sakariya, Mitchell Starc, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Dushmantha Chameera, Sakib Hussain. Players injured/withdrawn: Jason Roy, Gus Atkinson.
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