TEAM PREVIEW
Follow UsIPL 2023 Finish: 7th
New additions: Mitchell Starc, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sherfane Rutherford, Phil Salt, Dushmanta Chameera, Manish Pandey, KS Bharat, Chetan Sakariya, Ramandeep Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sakib Hussain
Kolkata Knight Riders are one of the most improved squads heading into IPL 2024. They have appeared lost since 2018, ever since Gautam Gambhir shifted bases, making it to the top four only twice in six years.
Gambhir is back now. It is one of the biggest squad updates in the KKR setup, even when he is joining the squad as a mentor. They have also got back Mitchell Starc. KKR bought Starc in 2018 but the Australian seamer backed out of the season. Six years later, the two-time champions have acquired him again, shelling out the biggest player contract in the IPL history - INR 24.75 crore. Starc’s arrival provides stability to KKR’s pace battery alongside their bottomless quiver of spinners.
Not to forget, Shreyas Iyer is back after missing the last season. Some reports suggest his back injury has flared up but the skipper is set to join the camp to bolster the middle order.
These additions give KKR a prominent look and if Eden Gardens, their home track, spins again, the historical evidence indicates that Knight Riders will be a tough team to beat.
What can win them the trophy?
The spin trio or quadrat or quintuplet
During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Eden Gardens was one of the most helpful tracks for spinners in the tournament. The anticipation thus began - What does it mean for KKR?
They are a different team when they are playing on pitches that assist spinners. In the 2021 IPL, KKR turned their season upside down when they found the elixir of the sluggish Sharjah tracks in the second half of the season.
Sunil Narine will come into play if Eden continues to help spinners as it did in the 50-over World Cup last year. With Varun Chakaravarthy and the wrist-spinner, Suyash Sharma, KKR can play three mystery spinners in their XI using the Impact Player rule.
What are they missing? A left-arm spinner? They can play Anukul Roy at number seven, which will give Kolkata potentially 16 overs of spin bowling. And then there is Nitish Rana who can bowl off-spinners to the left-handers.
Their spin personnel is not done yet. Signing Mujeeb Ur Rahman, a like-for-like replacement for Narine, Kolkata have hinted they are going for the kill with their slower bowlers.
Spin-bashing middle order
KKR not only have the bowling for slow tracks but also the batting to pummel opposition spinners down. With Iyer at three, Rana at four and Rinku Singh at five, KKR have one of the stronger middle-orders against spin in this competition. Even Venkatesh Iyer, likely to open, has decent numbers against spin.
In T20s since 2021, all of them average over 30 against spin with the strike rate in the 130s. Rinku, meanwhile, has struck at only 120.9 versus spin but averages 40.5. These may not be sailing numbers but they are quite decent for turning tracks that often see low scores.
Kolkata had the best strike rate against spin last year playing without the services of Iyer. However, with Iyer’s return, they have a powerful middle order this season.
In addition, they can maintain a left-right batting combination throughout the innings to further upset the opposition bowlers.
What could cost them the title?
What if the pitch doesn’t turn?
One of KKR’s biggest threats this season is a consequence of their strength: what about the days when the pitch doesn’t turn?
On pace-friendly or flat tracks, their spin attack can be subverted into the role of curtailing runs. Also, Iyer may struggle on pitches with bounce given his record in the league against express bowlers and short-pitched bowling.
Rana showed improved returns against pace bowling last year but hasn’t made enough runs in domestic cricket against a similar kind of bowling. Andre Russell averages only 8.4 against back-of-a-length bowling in the first 15 balls of his innings.
Thus, teams can bombard KKR batters on pitches with good carry. In fact, teams have pinned them down with short balls before.
Russell’s form and fitness
Russell’s form and fitness have gone through its ups and downs. KKR have used him as a death bowler which has produced wickets for him but the Jamaican all-rounder has still been one of their most expensive pacers in the last few seasons. With the bat, he hasn't scored a fifty for KKR since 2022 and is susceptible against short balls.
However, the 35-year old has shown signs of getting back to his vintage best in other leagues. Yet, those performances have been too few and far in between. Considering how KKR have been dependent on Russell in the past, his form could be the difference between failure and success.
Moreover, Russell is the only overseas player in the KKR squad without a like-for-like replacement. They have Sherfane Rutherford but the left-hander will only fill in as a finisher with thin experience in this league.
Things to watch out for
- Shreyas Iyer’s form
- Starc’s return to IPL and T20 cricket
- How Rinku presses his claim for the T20 World Cup in the first half of the season
- Venkatesh Iyer back as an opener
Probable XI
Phil Salt/Rahmanullah Gurbaz* (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell*, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine*, Mitchell Starc*, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma (Impact Player)
Last year, KKR used Suyash Sharma as their impact player when batting first. When bowling first, Venkatesh Iyer would come in the second innings since his bowling abilities were not put to use. KKR can implement the same strategy this season as well.
Uncapped X-Factor
Anukul Roy has warmed the bench for a long time but can now slot into the XI at seven. A lower-order batter who can bowl left-arm spin, Roy is a livewire in the field and has often been used as a substitute fielder by KKR in the past. He scored 170 runs in the 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, averaging 28.3 at a strike rate of 166.7. With the ball, he picked up three wickets at an economy rate of 7.1. These are not path-breaking numbers but Roy can add a lot of value to Kolkata’s combination.
Schedule till April 7
March 23: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, (Home)
March 29: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Away)
April 3: Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Away)
