Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bought eight players at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 auction held in Kochi on 23rd December. The two-time champions entered the auction with a total amount that was Rs7.05 crore. They had a small amount of money available, even when other franchises participated in bidding battles.
At Rs1.5 crore the experienced Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was their highest-priced purchase. They also bought Namibia All-rounder David Wiese for Rs1 crore and good-looking Tamil Nadu keeper-batter N Jagadeesan for the sum of Rs90 lakh.
Kolkata’s other purchases during the IPL auction included Vaibhav Arora (Rs60 lakh) and Suyash Sharma (Rs20 lakh), Kulwant Khejroliya (Rs20 lakh), Litton Das (Rs50 lakh) and Mandeep Singh (Rs50 lakh).
Kolkata concluded this auction on a prize that was Rs1.65 crore and only three slots to fill. In the past, they also exchanged Afghan keep-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz and New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson from Gujarat Titans (GT) as also all-rounder Shardul Thakur of Delhi Capitals (DC).
The IPL 2023 mini-auction now over Here’s a SWOT analysis of Kolkata. Kolkata franchise.
Strengths:
One thing KKR seems to have particularly in recent time has been enhancing their overall department.
Over the last few years, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have taken home the franchise in a variety of matches using both ball and bat. They are a flexible West Indies pair continue to be a key element of the team. Venkatesh Iyer also has the ability to bowl a decent medium-paced balls, in addition to being a great batter.
Prior to an IPL auction KKR swapped in Thakur to DC. Thakur could not have enjoyed a great run in the beginning of the year however, if he can find his rhythm and is able to find his groove, it will be a great match for the “Lord” is a proven winner of matches using both bats and ball.
The auction also saw Kolkata added two additional excellent all-rounders, Bangladesh’s Shakib and Namibia’s David Wiese. Kolkata clearly has an impressive selection of versatile cricketers.
Weaknesses:
One of the main reasons KKR had a difficult time during IPL 2022 was that they were unable to come up with an appropriate opening lineup. They started by playing Ajinkya Rahane as well as Venkatesh Iyer in the first matches. Then, it became more of a game of musical chairs, with Aaron Finch, Narine, Sam Billings, and Baba Indrajith all having a shot.
In their final match of the tournament they began the batting by bringing in Abhijeet Tomar as well as Venkatesh Iyer. There were a few brief moments of glee in the top ten positions, but no combination proved successful as Kolkata were frequently in the early stages of trouble than not. Naturally, the thought tank is also accountable for the constant cutting and rearranging.
In the IPL 2023 auction, KKR picked Jagadeesan, who has proven to be a huge success in his time with Tamil Nadu at the top of the list. They also have a second alternative in Litton Das who could take advantage of the field’s restrictions.
Venkatesh Iyer is still part of the squad for 2022. As compared to other franchises however, Kolkata’s top team is not well-known with regards to the IPL.
Opportunities:
Kolkata was one of the best teams in the IPL 2022. However they ended up being one of the least successful teams in the tournament. They placed seventh place in the 10-team tournament with only winning 6 of 14 games and losing eight.
With Shreyas Iyer as the team’s captain, KKR have retained their core team from last season to play in IPL 2023. In addition to the previously mentioned names, they also have Nitish Rana, and Varun Chakravarthy, who have been with the team for a number of seasons and have proven their worth.
The speed pair comprised of Umesh Yadav as well as Tim Southee impressed in the 2022 season, while batter Rinku Singh was a standout in his death-overs hitting.
They are aware that they have not performed as well, Kolkata will definitely be hoping for a more impressive performance in the IPL 2023.
Threats:
This is one of the areas KKR should be wary of. Of sure, there will be times when a batter bowler can have an extraordinary performance that takes the game away from opponents. T20 cricket is famous for such feats. But, Kolkata have been guilty of relying a little too much on the individual fame, as opposed to goals for the team.
There have been several instances where players like Russell, Narine, and Chakravarthy have all contributed to helping to win matches for the team. For instance, in the year 2021 they had wait until Venkatesh Iyer arrived and completely changed the direction of their game.
KKR must find ways for more players to participate and contribute to the course of a game. Yes, but unlike Tests and ODIs, the majority of players of a playing XI aren’t likely to have the chance of being able to make an impact in T20Is.
Kolkata Knight Riders Final Squad For IPL 2023:
Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, Narayan Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Weise, Kulwant Khejrolia, Mandeep Singh, Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Related KKR:
Who is the captain of KKR in IPL 2023?
Shreyas Iyer is the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). After the last season’s IPL auction it was decided that Shreyas Iyer will be the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for upcoming seasons.
