3 KKR youngsters who can have a breakout season in IPL 2023
The motto of the Indian Premier League (IPL) reads - "Where Talent Meets Opportunity" and the statement has lived up to its meaning since the inception of the competition in 2018. Countless youngsters have received the opportunity to showcase their ability on the biggest of platforms and the cream of the crop has gone on to make a case on the international circuit as well.
Youngsters forge a formidable fraction of the IPL franchises, acting as cover while they learn from the biggest names in the business. On the off chance, the emerging player avails a run of games and makes the most of it, with the performances often catching the eye of the selectors and facilitating the step to the next level.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are still finding their feet after the re-shuffling brought upon by the IPL mega-auction in 2022. The franchise introduced several youngsters and new faces in the previous campaign, namely Rasikh Dar, Abhijeet Tomar, and Aman Khan. While none of the aforementioned names have been retained, the franchise will be keen to experiment with youngsters.
On that note, let’s take a look at three KKR youngsters that could have a breakout season in IPL 2023.
#1 Vaibhav Arora
The swing specialist was released by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) after he played in five matches in IPL 2022. While he was not heavily involved in terms of wickets, he showcased the ability to swing the ball both ways.
Having spent a season with KKR in the 2021 edition, the mini-auction allowed the two-time winners to bring him back. With senior new-ball bowlers like Tim Southee and Umesh Yadav in the mix, it could prove to be the perfect avenue for Vaibhav Arora to grow.
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The fact that Eden Gardens is curtailed for a pacer with attributes like Vaibhav in terms of its aid for swing in the formative overs is an indication that he could be staring at a largely productive season.
#2 Suyash Sharma
The talented 19-year-old spinner was roped in by the franchise at the IPL 2023 mini-auction for his base price of ₹20 lakh.
He comes across as a mystery spinner, and there is hardly a better place for such raw talent than KKR, which boasts two formidable spinners in the form of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy.
KKR CEO Venky Mysore expressed his surprise after bagging the spinner for just his base price. On the sidelines of the auction in Kochi, he said:
“Massive credit to KKR scouting team. Because there’s a very young cricketer by the name of Suyash Sharma. He is a leg-spinner and he is a U-25 player."
He continued:
"We were pleasantly surprised that we got him at the base price. We had kept him all the money for him and we got him at base price. The likes of Chandu Sir, Abhishek Nayar, and Bharat Arun everyone who has seen him said that he is a serious talent."
While not much is known about Suyash Sharma at the moment, the IPL proves to be an excellent avenue for the player to announce himself to the world.
The competition could prove to be a catalyst, and learning the art of mystery spin under the tutelage of Narine and Chakravarthy is an opportunity of a lifetime.
#3 Harshit Rana
The right-arm pacer made his IPL debut in the 2022 edition but played only two matches. However, with age still on the side of the youngster, he still has time to make an impact for the franchise with his raw pace.
With KKR only having Umesh Yadav and Kulwant Khejroliya in the Indian pace department, there is room for Harshit Rana to feature more regularly, especially with the departure of Shivam Mavi to Gujarat Titans (GT).
The two-time winners banked heavily on Umesh's red-hot form in 2022, especially with the entire tournament taking place in Maharashtra. While the red-soil wickets aided him, with the home-and-away format making a return, KKR may need a different plan in place.
Will any of the aforementioned youngsters make an impact at IPL 2023? Let us know what you think.
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