IPL 2020: 3 selection dilemmas Kolkata Knight Riders might face
It's the month of March, which means that we are just days away from the beginning of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League. Before the start of India's biggest sporting festival, there is so much to talk about.
Here, we are going to take a look at Kolkata Knight Riders and how they are shaping up under their new head coach Brendon McCullum. In the IPL 2020 auctions, KKR spent big bucks and signed some top quality players like Patt Cummins, Tom Banton and Eoin Morgan.
With these additions to the squad, Dinesh Karthik and the KKR team management will have some tough selection decisions to make and here, we are going to take a look at three of them.
#3 Sandeep Warrier or Prasidh Krishna
KKR have great depth in their bowling contingent and hence, most of these selection headaches might be in deciding who to choose and who not to when it comes to their ideal bowling combination.
One such decision would be to choose between Sandeep Warrier and Prasidh Krishna. While the former is a lethal weapon with the new ball because of his ability to swing the ball, Krishna is someone who is known for his raw pace.
It's really up to Dinesh Karthik to decide who he wants to go with and it also depends on the conditions on hand. Right now, it is touch and go and KKR could really go with anyone.
Sandeep Warrier IPL Career | 3 matches | 2 wickets | Eco - 7.08
Prasidh Krishna IPL Career | 18 matches | 14 wickets | Eco - 9.4
#2 Shivam Mavi or Varun Chakravarthy
After being ruled out of IPL 2019 due to an injury, Shivam Mavi will return to KKR before the 13th edition of the IPL. But will the highly-rated Indian youngster be drafted straight into the playing XI?
Mavi impressed in IPL 2018 with his bowling skills, as the youngster cracked up 140 km/hr at will, and it would interesting to see whether Dinesh Karthik will go for the extra seamer or an extra spinner in Varun Chakravarthy; assuming the fact that KKR might play with Kuldeep Yadav and Sunil Narine as their frontline spinners, and Patt Cummins, Andre Russell, and Prasidh Krishna/Sandeep Warrier as their fast bowlers.
Chakravarthy is known to be a mystery spinner and although he didn't get many chances with Kings XI Punjab last year, one expects him to improve in IPL 2020.
Shivam Mavi IPL Career | 9 matches | 5 wickets | Eco - 9.65
Also see – RCB squad
Varun Chakravarthy | 1 matches | 1 wicket | Eco - 11.67
#1 Eoin Morgan or Tom Banton
Another big decision that the KKR team management will have to make is deciding whom to pick between the two Englishman - Tom Banton and Eoin Morgan.
While Banton is an opening wicket-keeper batsman, Morgan is an experienced campaigner, who can bat anywhere in the middle order. At least, for the start of the tournament, one expects to see Morgan in the playing XI just because of the cricketing nous and fearlessness he brings with him.
But don't be surprised if Banton is picked over England's limited-overs skipper because the former has developed quite a reputation in T20 leagues all across the world.
Eoin Morgan IPL Career | 52 matches | 854 runs | Avg - 21.35 | SR - 121.31
Tom Banton will be playing his first IPL season.