IPL 2020: 5 overseas openers KKR could target at the auction
Ahead of the 2020 IPL auction Kolkata Knight Riders have released a total of 11 players - seven domestic and four overseas - from their squad. It follows then that the Knight Riders have plenty of work to do at the auction.
The team has an amount of Rs. 35.65 crore in its kitty now, which is the second-highest purse value after Kings XI Punjab's Rs. 42.70 crore. Thus, KKR will have better bargaining power than most of the teams during the auction.
The franchise could even secure some expensive players at the auction. As KKR have released two overseas opening batsmen in Chris Lynn and Joe Denly, they would be looking to rope in skillful overseas openers.
Lynn was a vital member of KKR throughout his time with them. The Australian opener regularly delivered for the team, giving them strong starts at the top of the order. By releasing Lynn, KKR have signaled that they would be on the lookout for a player with similar skills to open the batting.
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Here, we look at five overseas openers that would be on KKR's radar during the auction.
#5 Lendl Simmons
Lendl Simmons is a bit of an IPL veteran with 1079 runs in 29 matches. The former Mumbai Indians opening batsman also has an IPL century to his name, which he scored back in 2014 against Kings XI Punjab. However, he hasn't played in the league since his departure from the Mumbai team.
During the two previous IPL auctions Simmons failed to find a buyer, which is the reason why he disappeared from the scene. However, there is a chance of the Kolkata team selecting Simmons in the 2020 auction.
Simmons had an outstanding stint in the Caribbean Premier League 2019 with the Trinbago Knight Riders, a team owned by the KKR franchise. The West Indies batsman was TKR's top run-getter with 430 runs in 11 innings.
Even though he is an aging player, Simmons could be on KKR's radar due to his impressive contributions for TKR in CPL 2019. As a former two-time IPL champion with Mumbai Indians, Simmons' experience would be invaluable for the Kolkata-based franchise.