IPL Auction 2020: 5 players KKR should release
The Kolkata Knight Riders did not have a season to remember last time around as internal feuds, inconsistencies, injuries and some questionable selections meant that they failed to make the top four.
After starting off with a bang, things went haywire for the SRK-owned franchise as they lost six games in a row, which exposed their frailties in the unit.
The side relied too heavily on the exploits of West Indian star Andre Russell, and though he did guide them to a few sensational wins from the jaws of defeat, in the end, the pressure on him was all too visible.
The other batsmen blew hot and cold, while the pacers were unable to take advantage of the bounce of the Eden Gardens track. The lack of depth in the side came to the fore by the end of the edition, and the side needs a major overhaul as they look ahead to the upcoming auctions next month.
Here are a few players that they might release ahead of IPL 2020.
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#1 Joe Denly
Joe Denly's first-ever stint in the IPL ended rather abysmally as he was dismissed for no run off the only ball he faced in the season. He played just a game in IPL 2019 and had an outing to forget, as he failed to get going and never turned out in the KKR colours in the season again.
With a fixed opening pair of Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine turning out for KKR at the top for the last few years, and with Robin Uthappa and Shubman Gill capable of filling the slot in case of injury, it becomes difficult for Denly to break into the XI.
Though he is an outstanding all-rounder who has fared well in various T20 leagues around the world, scoring over 5000 runs in the format at an average of just over 28 with the help of four hundreds, he does not slot into KKR's scheme of things and it should not be a surprise if he is released ahead of the auctions.