Kolkata Knight Riders have splashed out the cash during the IPL Auctions 2024. They have a good solid Indian batting line-up in the middle order and have some crucial players in different areas that can surely help them get important wins. Their bowling might look weak on paper, but can be lethal on tracks that favour them.
Since the return of Gautam Gambhir as mentor of the franchise, the optimism has returned for the fans. They believe the former skipper of the side can bring back the glory days of the last decade. Gambhir was vocal throughout the auctions and has more or less gotten the players that he desired. Let’s look at the probable XI of Kolkata Knight Riders that might start during IPL 2024.
KKR’s Predicted Starting XI for IPL 2024
1) Top order (Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer)
Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer (Source: Twitter)
The Kolkata Knight Riders are short of options in the wicket-keeper department and therefore might look to play Rahmanullah Gurbaz throughout the tournament. His performances in all of Afghanistan’s matches in India during the ODI World Cup 2023 will give the team management some confidence.
His attacking starts at the top of the order might be crucial for his opening partner Venkatesh Iyer, who looks to take time to settle in. Once Iyer gets settled he can be destructive for the team during the middle overs. His part-time medium pace bowling can also be crucial on slow wickets as he can bowl cutters perfectly.
The captain of the franchise, Shreyas Iyer returns after missing the last Indian Premier League edition through injury. After Shreyas Iyer’s return from injury, he has looked unstoppable and has overcome all his short ball weakness. His form throughout the tournament can be critical for the team’s chances in the upcoming IPL.
2) Middle Order (Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine)
Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh (Source: Twitter)
The vice-captain of the side, Nitish Rana was a crucial part in the side’s rise during last season. With no captaincy pressure on his shoulders this time around, his bat might be doing most of the talking. His part-time off-spin was important for the side last year and can bowl four overs on rank turners for his team as well.
The rise of Rinku Singh since the start of the last Indian Premier League has been marvelous to see. The fact that he earns less than INR 1 crores during the tournament is mind-blowing to say the least. He can finish off chases with ease and can be destructive at the death if needed. The southpaw has made the number five spot his own in the team as well.
The allrounder, Andre Russell has a lot of points to prove in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. The first might be to justify his hefty INR 16 crore price tag and perform in most of the matches for his team. He hasn’t looked the same since IPL 2020 and bowlers have been getting him out with ease. The team management might look to back for one final time this season and would hope he regains his touch sooner rather than later.
Another person who might have a lot of points to prove is veteran bowling all-rounder Sunil Narine. The mystery spinner was one of the most fearsome bowlers in the tournament at one time but has now lost his touch. Although he gets wickets regularly, his economy has started to increase which is a concern.
3) Bowlers (Varun Chakravarthy, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma)
Varun Chakravarthy (Source: Twitter)
Everybody was shell-shocked when Mitchell Starc was purchased by the Kolkata Knight Riders during the IPL 2024 Auctions. The left-arm pacer is returning to the competition for the first time since IPL 2015. His price-tag would be the biggest thing surrounding him in the tournament but his lethal bowling can silence the critics easily.
The team also possesses another mystery spinner with Varun Chakravarthy in their ranks. His INR 12 crore fee is kind of questionable to say the least but on his day, he can rip apart the opposition batting line-up. His form has dipped in recent times, but the team management would try and back him for the long run due to his immense rise in his initial days in the tournament.
Harshit Rana is one of the two uncapped bowlers in the Kolkata Knight Riders roster. He played a few games last year and has surely impressed the coaching staff. One thing he might need to work upon would be his death overs bowling. If he can be economical and chip away with few wickets, then the team might have gold in their hands with the possession of Harshit Rana.
Last year saw the epic rise of Suyash Sharma in the Indian Premier League. He came as a newcomer in one of the league matches and everyone was surprised by his selection. But after his performances in few of the games, the fans were left baffled with his ability to get wickets on a consistent basis. He might start ahead of the likes of Anukul Roy, purely on the basis of last year’s performances.
