IPL: 3 great T20 players who flopped for KKR
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been home to some of the greatest players of all time in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, the franchise has two multi-time Most Valuable Player award winners, and both West Indians are absolute legends of the T20 format.
In the 2020 IPL, apart from Russell and Narine, KKR can also call upon the services of Pat Cummins - who became the most expensive overseas buy in the history of the auction this season - and England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan.
Captain Dinesh Karthik is a veteran of the league, while young Indian talent like Shubman Gill and Kamlesh Nagarkoti will be keen on making an impression.
Great T20 players who flopped for KKR in the IPL
However, some players haven't had a great time in a team stacked with talent. Even in the 2020 IPL, the likes of Tom Banton and Lockie Ferguson might be demoted to the bench and might not have a major impact at KKR.
Here are 3 great T20 players who flopped for KKR in the IPL.
#3 Trent Boult
Trent Boult was bought by KKR in the 2017 IPL auction for 5 crores, but the pacer failed to make a significant impact on the team. In 6 games, the left-armer picked up 5 wickets at an economy rate of 9.06, which is easily his worst record for any IPL franchise that he has played for.
Boult was taken to the cleaners in his first three games for KKR, conceding 40, 47 and 36 runs while picking up only 1 wicket. The Kiwi was dropped soon after, and returned to the playing XI during the fag end of the tournament.
Although KKR qualified for the playoffs after finishing 4th in the IPL points table at the end of the league phase, Gautam Gambhir's side fell to eventual champions, the Mumbai Indians, in Qualifier 2 after dispatching the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator.
Boult will play for the Mumbai Indians in the 2020 IPL, and he will have to shoulder much of the fast-bowling responsibility alongside Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, in the absence of Lasith Malinga.
#2 Mitchell Johnson
KKR was the final franchise that Mitchell Johnson played for in his IPL career, and he didn't have a great spell at the 2-time IPL champions. The tearaway quick played 6 games for the side, and took only 2 wickets at an economy rate of 10.29.
Johnson, who was bought for 2 crores in the auction, had to bear the fast-bowling burden in the absence of Mitchell Starc, but failed to live up to expectations. KKR, however, managed to finish 3rd and qualified for the playoffs, in which they lost to the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2.
In August 2018, the Australian announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
#1 Mohammad Hafeez
In the inaugural season of the IPL, the only campaign which saw the participation of Pakistani players, Mohammad Hafeez had a torrid time. In 8 games for KKR, the all-rounder scored only 64 runs at an average of 9.14, with 16 being his highest score. Moreover, he picked up only 2 wickets for the side.
Although Brendon McCullum scored a ridiculous 158* in the first match of the 2008 IPL season, KKR couldn't qualify for the playoffs as they finished 7th in the points table at the end of the league phase.
Hafeez was released after the season due to the ban imposed on Pakistan players in the IPL, and has obviously not had another chance to redeem himself in the IPL. The 39-year-old is still active for his county, however, and scored a fluent fifty yesterday against England in the 2nd T20I.
Also Read: IPL 2020: 3 players SRH might regret letting go of