3 players who can replace Shakib Al Hasan in the KKR squad
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have endured another body blow as their star all-rounder Shakib A Hasan has decided to pull out of this season's IPL due to personal reasons and international commitments.
KKR lost their opening encounter against the Punjab Kings and are yet to find the right team combination.
The team's management is now tasked with replacing the experienced all-rounder. Here are the three players who can replace Shakib Al Hasan in the KKR squad:
#1 Mohammad Nabi
Nabi is an experienced all-rounder who can bat in the middle order and has a knack for picking up crucial wickets. In 17 IPL games, he has scored 180 runs and picked up 13 wickets. He was recently adjudged the player of the series in Afghanistan's famous T20I series victory against Pakistan in the UAE.
Nabi has captained Afghanistan in the past and his experience will be valuable to KKR's young captain, Nitish Rana. He could be KKR's go-to impact player as his all-round skill set can have a great impact on the result of the game. Nabi is a like-for-like replacement for Shakib and is a name worth considering for KKR.
#2 Daryl Mitchell
Daryl Mitchell is also an experienced all-rounder who has scored 954 runs at a strike rate of 140.91 in 45 T20I matches for New Zealand. Mitchell has played only two innings in the IPL, scoring 33 runs.
Mitchell can provide solidity to KKR's fragile middle order and can be a great option for KKR off the bench. He should definitely be considered by KKR's management as a replacement for Shakib Al Hasan.
#3 James Vince
James Vince has scored 463 runs at a strike rate of 128.25 in 17 T20I matches for England. In last season's Vitality Blast, Vince scored 678 runs at a strike rate of 146.12 in 16 games and was the tournament's top scorer.
Vince could be a vital addition to the KKR squad as he possesses the ability to strike the ball big. KKR should consider replacing Shakib with Vince as he provides a different dynamic to the squad.
Shakib pulling out of the IPL at this stage has made the job much tougher for KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit. Replacing Shakib has to be treated as a priority by the KKR team management.
Which player do you think should replace Shakib Al Hasan? Do let us know your opinion in the comments.