IPL 2016 Predicted XI Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders have always been a team that has evoked unprecedented fanfare. Their journey too has been worth documenting, from a group of struggling players to a group which transformed itself completely to lift the trophy twice.
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They have always been a mercurial side and have breathed hot and cold within a very short span of time. They can also be labelled as the most marketable team and with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan as their co-owner, there is bound to be a sense of excitement and enigma along the way.
They got off to a horror start in the initial years of the tournament, but have got their acts together and built a nice and solid bunch of players. Their crux remains largely unchanged coming into IPL 2016, and they will start their campaign against the Delhi Daredevils on the 10th of April at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
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Here is the predicted XI for their first match against Delhi Daredevils.
Gautam Gambhir (Captain)
The transformation of the franchise began in 2011 when they dismantled their team completely and much to the ire of the general public in Bengal dropped Saurav Ganguly. They appointed Gautam Gambhir as the captain and selected a whole new bunch of players. This move yielded immediate results and Gambhir captained the side to the top four in 2011, and the team has gone from strength to strength ever since.
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Gambhir with a sobre look on his face revels when handed a responsibilty and he is one of the main players for the team. Opening the batting, Gambhir has provided fiery starts at the outset and laid a platform for the others to follow.
He has been a consistent performer in the IPL and has scored more than 3000 runs at an average touching 30, and a strike rate of 124.52.
Gambhir will once again look to get his team off to a good start and lead the side by example.