IPL 2022 Auction: KKR's strongest playing XI on paper
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) didn't get many of their first-choice targets during the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction and had to fill their roster with several quick acquisitions towards the end of Day 2.
However, with the signing of a new leader in Shreyas Iyer and being on the back of a successful IPL season in which they reached the final, the two-time champions will be confident of building on their performances and going all the way in 2022.
KKR's squad for IPL 2022: Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Rasikh Dar, Chamika Karunaratne, Baba Indrajith, Ashok Sharma, Pratham Singh, Abhijeet Tomar, Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Ramesh Kumar, Mohammad Nabi, Aman Khan, Umesh Yadav
Here is KKR's strongest playing XI for the IPL 2022 season.
Openers: Venkatesh Iyer, Alex Hales
KKR have to choose between Sam Billings and Sheldon Jackson to be their first-choice wicket-keeper. If Billings plays, it would keep another overseas player out of the XI and the team might be forced into opening with a domestic option like Ajinkya Rahane alongside Venkatesh Iyer.
But KKR's best bet might be to trust the dynamism of Alex Hales at the top of the order alongside Iyer, who should continue to open for the franchise despite playing a different role for the national team. Hales could help provide the initial firepower to the innings, with the other top-order batters not exactly being electric with the bat.
Middle Order: Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Sheldon Jackson (wk)
Captain Shreyas Iyer and franchise stalwart Nitish Rana should make up the rest of the top four, with Jackson slotting in as the gloveman. The 35-year-old seems to have unlocked his potential with the bat and is on the back of a prolific Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season where he showed great improvements in his attacking strokeplay. He might finally be ready for a regular IPL gig.
All-rounders: Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins
KKR's all-rounders, who've been part of the team for a while now, pick themselves. There are fitness concerns hovering over Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, but the West Indian duo have managed to deliver for the side over the years. Cummins, who is on a cheaper contract this time around, will be the leader of the pace attack.
Bowlers: Umesh Yadav, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy
KKR can afford to play an extra batter or an extra spinner in place of Umesh Yadav, since Russell and Iyer offer two pace options in the top six. But given Russell's dicey fitness, they might want to field two frontline Indian quicks in Yadav and Shivam Mavi. The retained Varun Chakravarthy caps off a playing XI that admittedly doesn't have much flexibility.
KKR's strongest playing XI: Venkatesh Iyer, Alex Hales, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Sheldon Jackson (wk), Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Umesh Yadav, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy