IPL 2019: The ideal XI that Kolkata Knight Riders should aim for after the auction
Kolkata Knight Riders have been one of the most successful franchises in the Indian Premier League with two trophies in their cabinet. Although they started IPL on a slower note, they became a formidable team once Gautam Gambhir was made the captain of the team. However, Gambhir left KKR before the previous season which meant that KKR had to form a new squad under a different captain.
KKR had a different approach in the previous auctions and they were undecided on their captain after the auctions ended. Later, Dinesh Karthik was appointed as the captain of the team which was a good move. The Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batsman led the Kolkata based franchise to the playoffs in the 2018 season before they faltered in the knockouts to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
KKR have retained a core set of players around which a good team can be constructed if they make smart choices at the auction. Accordingly, we have compiled a well-balanced XI which KKR should aim for the upcoming season.
Openers: Chris Lynn and Robin Uthappa
Openers are a vital part of any team and it becomes more important in the shortest format as a good beginning is good for the team. Lynn and Narine opened for KKR last season with Narine's role being restricted as an explosive batsman. It has clicked in a few cases but teams would soon come out with a plan to tackle it.
In most cases, Narine fails which would add pressure on the batting order with an early wicket gone. Hence, KKR should go for stability at the top and can use Narine as a floater in certain cases. Uthappa is a genuine opener and his partnership with Lynn could be dangerous.
Considering Lynn's limited availability next season, KKR could bid for the experienced Brendon McCullum too.