IPL 2019: 3 Reasons why KKR Could Win the Tournament
The Kolkata Knight Riders have been quite successful in the IPL and have qualified for the playoffs 6 times out of the 11 seasons they have played, having won the IPL twice, once in 2012 and 2014. They looked like a rejuvenated side under captain Dinesh Karthik in IPL 2018 with only a few players from the previous year being retained.
KKR had a very small squad-size but managed to outclass their opponents and made it to the playoffs with ease, before being knocked out by the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2. The Knight Riders released 9 players ahead of the auction and made few signings in the auction ahead of IPL 2019. Few notable names signed include Carlos Brathwaite(5 Crore) and Lockie Ferguson (1.6 Crore).
KKR's Squad: Dinesh Karthik (C), Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shubman Gill, Prasidh Krishna, Shivam Mavi, Nitish Rana, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Rinku Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Carlos Brathwaite , Lockie Ferguson, Anrich Nortje , Nikhil Naik , Harry Gurney, Prithvi Raj Yarra, Joe Denly and Shrikant Mundhe
KKR seem to possess a balanced lineup and have a lot of chances to lift the trophy for the 3rd time following MI and CSK's lead.
Here are 3 reasons why.
#3 Well- Set Team Combination
The Kolkata Knight Riders have one of the most balanced IPL teams this season. Though they don't have many flashy big names in their roster, their dependable and clever picks at the auction combined with the players they retained makes for a title-winning squad.
They have got a well-set team combination and the 4 foreigners they are going to play seem to be clear-cut and well planned out. The Knight Riders want their play to revolve around their top order and their great spin trio. The 3 overseas players, Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell will be crucial to their fortunes in the tournament, whereas Lockie Ferguson, who will be available for the entire tournament, will be a good pick to complement the other three.
Their Indian players seem easy choices too, with Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill and Karthik occupying top order spots, while Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna and Shivam Mavi will fight for spots in the bowling.
With a team management which has a clear vision of how they want the team to function, KKR can certainly win the trophy this season.