Having won the Indian Premier league last season by beating Kings XI Punjab and in 2012 by beating Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders will aim to become the first side to win the cash-rich league for the third time.
Captain Gautam Gambhir leads from the start with classy Robin Uthappa. last year’s highest run getter Uthappa (660 runs) will once again look to maintain that form to take his team all the way. KKR have roped in Johan Botha and Azhar Mahmood to replace Chris lynn and Jimmy Neesham both of whom are injured. Botha was not picked during the auction; he then signed a three-year deal with Sydney Sixers last month but accepted a late offer from coach Trevor Bayliss. Under the stewardship of Australian veteran Bayliss and mentored by ‘Sultan of Swing’ Wasim Akram, Knights will be looking to pose some serious challenge to other teams in the tournament.
The biggest surprise from IPl-8 auction room was possibly caused by KKR when they picked up a largely unknown KC Cariappa for Rs. 2.40 crore. He bowls with an unorthodox left arm action called as “Chinaman Bowling” which will be difficult for the batsman to track and read.
Manish Pandey, who was instrumental in scripting KKR’s win last year, comes in at one-down. Then in line are all rounders Yusuf Pathan, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Andre Russell who change the look of the game in a quick span of time. Pathan’s last year knock of 72 from 22 deliveries in a semi-final match against Sunrisers Hyderabad is a great example. While in their bowling department they have speedsters like Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav both of whom had a superb run in recently concluded World Cup.
KKR will miss the services of Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan the Bangladesh team has to leave for Pakistan tour, but he will be available for first two matches. Knight riders have a winning streak of 9 matches in the IPl and will be looking to replicate same performance this year as well.
KKR staff would be breathing a huge sigh of relief to read that their inspirational bowler Sunil Narine’s, who picked 21 wickets last season, bowling action has been cleared after not being allowed to bowl in the ClT20 final and then skipping the World Cup altogether.
As defending champions, they will play the first game of the competition against Mumbai Indians on 8th April at Eden Gardens.