4 min read
Introduction
Despite what role and how much impact Shakib Al Hasan may or may not have on KKR’s campaign this year, I think he was one of the most smart buys of this season. Not only in the sub-continent, he is more than a handy bowler anywhere in the world, as his miserly economy of 6.87 would suggest. He is also an impactful middle-order batsman. Should KKR find themselves playing pitches assisting spin more than pace, I think he should play ahead of Andre Russell. KKR kept mostly quiet in the auction, looking to fill up spots on their bench and buying efficient backups for their core. It looks like a well-balanced team which should see continuity in their playing XI as compared to the previous season.
Suggestive Playing XI by Mihir Vohra
Mihir’s SWOT Analysis
strengths
- Strong bowling lineups win you tournaments, ask any captain. KKR has a very strong bowling line-up, despite indications that it is a tad-bit inexperienced when it comes to T20s.
- One of the strongest middle-order lineups in the tournament.
- Flexibility in the roster is often underrated. If KKR come across a slow pitch offering some turn, they can easily replace Russell with Al-Hasan or even add Kuldeep Yadav/Harbhajan Singh instead of Prasidh Krishna / Shivam Mavi. Kamlesh Nagarkoti can replace Shivam Mavi on form-related grounds, as Lockie Ferguson can Pat Cummins.
weaknesses
- KKR do lack a bit in the batting department at the top of the order. Oppositions have found the antidote to Sunil Narine’s batting which mean KKR don’t have the luxury anymore to open with Narine, or even if they do, their number 3 becomes effectively an opener. This puts additional pressure on their ever-so-strong middle order.
opportunities
- Given the stability in their lineup and the investment in Eoin Morgan as a captain, this is KKR’s best opportunity to end their tittle-drought, before the 2022 mega auction.
- In playing 5 games at Bangalore and 4 at Ahmedabad, KKR’s power-hitting middle-order have a good chance at posting high totals.
threats
- There could be a lure to bat Sunil Narine up the order to accommodate an extra bowler, which seemed to fail more often than not for KKR in the previous couple of seasons.
- Sunil Narine and Andre Russell haven’t had much match practice, or any at all, since the previous IPL while Eoin Morgan and Varun Chakaravarthy are coming back from injuries. Shubman Gill has not played T20 games since the previous IPL. All of these are not major concerns but could be a threat if these players do not get off the blocks quickly.
player from unsold
I don’t think there is any unsold player at the moment who would have been a great fit in the KKR lineup. An indication of KKR’s homework capabilities before auction?! Probably.
player from another team
Ajinkya Rahane —> Consider a scenario where Shreyas Iyer was available, in which case, Ajinkya Rahane would definitely have played a subdued role than he MIGHT play now. In that case, Ajinkya Rahane would definitely have added a lot of value to the current KKR outfit where he could either open allowing Nitish Rana at number 3 or himself play at number 3, giving more impetus to the middle-order trio of Morgan, Karthik and Russell.
key player
Dinesh Karthik —> He stood down from captaincy midway last season, it is only fair to expect more from Dinesh Karthik – the batsman. His performances with the bat will be vital as having to replace Dinesh Karthik would change the complete balance of the team.
prediction
Given the continuity of the core lineup from last year and their trajectory, it will be only safe to consider that KKR will march into the playoffs this year. For me, KKR are also the title favourites this season.
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The Author(s):
Mihir Vohra is the web-developer, designer and content writer at Cricket in Progress! Through Cricket in Progress!, he aims to bring some fresh writing to cricket while wording his views. To say that Mihir is a fan of the game would be an understatement of cosmic proportions. Much credit for Mihir’s attraction towards cricket could be credited to Shane Warne and the way he led the Rajasthan Royals to victory in the inaugural season of IPL. What was seeded in that year culminated into this very website. He has a keen liking for puns, humour and literary drama as will be pretty evident in his words.
Yeh pura mood set kar diye ho!