Of all the 10 franchises, the 2012 and 2014 IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders are arguably the most positioned and least concerning team. With the return of Gautam Gambhir as mentor and the return of Shreyas Iyer as captain, KKR is on the verge of a major makeover. To reconfigure their lineup entirely, KKR released 12 players during the IPL retention on November 26. Their star-studded batting lineup and sharp spin unit, however, remain at the heart of the team.
But to be very honest, KKR’s fast-bowling unit—which is nonexistent—is their largest source of concern. They now only have Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora as their two front-line pacers after losing Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, David Weise, Umesh Yadav, and Tim Southee. Of their entire purse of ₹32.7 crore, Ferguson and Shardul alone account for ₹20 crore. Gambhir, who is not known for frugal spending, is anticipated to go all out at the auction table in Dubai on December 19, especially since there are 12 spaces available, four of which are located abroad.
Andre Russell is not a reliable fast bowler for KKR, as his health raises serious concerns. Because of this, Gambhir and Kolkata will be watching fresh hires who have the potential to be big stars. The pitches that KKR choose to use may be a major catch here. Gambhir and his strategies will be successful if Eden Gardens continues to utilise the same type of ground as the World Cup match between South Africa and India. KKR will have an unparalleled spin threat in Sunil Narine, Suyash Prabhudesai, Varun Chakravarthy, and Anukul Roy. But for the two-time winners, speed is crucial when they play away.
Recall that at the IPL 2022 big auction, Gambhir made sure the Lucknow Super Giants used every single rupee to acquire players. It’s conceivable that a similar scene will occur. Additionally, KKR has to seize a few big fish in order to cover the voids created by Southee, Ferguson, and other players. They won’t be overly fond of Mitchell Starc because up to five other teams are already interested in his services. However, what about Gerald Coetzee and Harshal Patel, who are specialists in slow decks? Or Dilshan Madushanka, the left-arm fast who took the second-most wickets in the 2023 World Cup? Another name that might come up is Azmatullah Omarzai, considering his bat skills as a pinch hitter. Expect KKR to go on a spending binge to put up a strong team on paper to begin with, given they have more than 30 crores in their bank account.
With N Jagadeesan out of the picture, KKR will need a backup wicketkeeper. Given the demanding schedule and the patchy abilities of Venkatesh Iyer behind the wicket, assigning Rahmanullah Gurbaz the entire tournament may be asking too much. With four international selections available, KKR may choose to sign Josh Inglis, Sam Billings, Ben Duckett, or Phillip Salt.
Jason Roy will be the second backup that KKR will look for. Since the form and fitness of the England opener have been questioned, going with Travis Head or Rachin Ravindra can address that issue. There is plenty of money available, after all.
