IPL 2022 auction: 3 former players KKR may look to re-acquire
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are the most successful team in the tournament after CSK and MI, primarily because of the way they have backed their players through thick and thin.
The Kolkata-based franchise scripted a remarkable comeback in IPL 2021 to end the tournament as the runners-up. They will now look to make the most of the mega-auction for IPL 2022 and assemble a strong squad.
With four retentions, KKR has all their bases covered even before the auction begins. They will, however, look to get some strong players into the squad for the long run.
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Given that the squad that represented the Knights in IPL 2021 impressed, the think-tank will be keen to re-acquire some of their star players during the auction on February 12 and 13. We take a look at three players who represented the Knights in 2021 and may be re-bought for IPL 2022.
#3 Nitish Rana
Nitish Rana has been a dependable top-order batter for the Kolkata Knight Riders. He has often stabilized KKR's batting in situations where the team lost early wickets.
Since IPL 2017, Nitish Rana has constantly scored more than 300 runs in every edition of the tournament. Rana's calmness and poise are sure to attract bids from the Knight Riders during the mega-auction.
#2 Lockie Ferguson
Lockie Ferguson hasn't gotten many chances to prove his worth as part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad. However, he managed to make a strong impression with the few opportunities he got when Pat Cummins was unavailable for selection.
Given the kind of impact he is capable of making in the T20 format, Ferguson could well be one of the most in-demand bowlers in the upcoming mega-auction. KKR wouldn't be far behind in the race of acquiring the Kiwi speedster and are likely to go the distance in their quest to re-acquire him.
#1 Shivam Mavi
The Kolkata Knight Riders noticed Shivam Mavi's talent and invested in him at a very young age. The franchise has had a large hand in shaping Mavi into the bowler he is today.
Given he is only 23-years old, KKR may want to continue their association with the talented speedster. Shivam Mavi has scalped 25 wickets for the Kolkata franchise in 26 games. Given how impactful he has been, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Kolkota side re-buy their star bowler.