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.
The IPL is designed to NOT have calm waters for too long – there is a mega auction that happens after every 3 seasons, with one to happen before the
Kolkata Knight Riders is one of the two teams, the other one being Rajasthan Royals, who would be giving quite a lot of opportunities to youngsters within their squad. If you look at the KKR roster, it is not as intimidating as a roster like, say, Mumbai Indians’. Yet, it works.
It’s that time of the year but it is not really ‘that’ time of the year. Preparations for the T20 World Cup would have been in full swing right now. Instead we have players converging in UAE almost a month before the start of another IPL season. These are crazy times.
I don’t know about others but I feel that Carlos Brathwaite for 5 crores and Lockie Ferguson for 1.6 crores are great buys. KKR went into the auction to buy batting, all-rounders and spinners reserves and to build a fast-bowling lineup. I’d say they were quite successful in doing so. On paper, the KKR team looks as strong as ever and DK showed us last year that he is more than a capable captain.m
Am I the only one or does it feel like this year’s IPL is lacking a certain level of enthusiasm that we have become accustomed to over the years? If you think so too, much of the blame can be accredited to the fact that this is the first time in its 12-year history that the IPL, the ICC Cricket World Cup and India’s General Elections are occurring in the same year.
The squad goes a long way in determining the outcome of a team. At least when the tournament in question is the Indian Premier League. If history is any indication, IPL has spit out teams who just boast of great names. Only the team with the right combination and the right leader wins this coveted trophy.