IPL 2022: 3 players KKR could target to captain the side
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) retained four players ahead of this year's mega auction in Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, and Varun Chakravarthy. However, KKR have not retained Eoin Morgan, their skipper, for the next IPL season.
It is unlikely that any of the retained players i.e. Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, and Varun Chakravarthy will lead KKR in the upcoming edition. Therefore, the team will look to target cricketers at the mega auction who have experience in leading teams.
On that note, here is a look at 3 such cricketers who could be targeted by KKR at the mega-auction.
#3 David Warner
The Australian opener tasted success as a skipper when he led Sunrisers Hyderabad to their only IPL title to date in 2016. Warner is an experienced campaigner and one of the most successful overseas batsmen in the history of the tournament.
In 150 IPL matches, he has scored 5449 runs at an average of 41.6 and an exceptional strike rate of 139.97. Warner could be a possible candidate for the KKR captaincy if he is bought by the team.
Warner will also provide stability at the top order for KKR, which they have missed in the past couple of seasons.
#2 Pat Cummins
The Australian Test skipper has represented KKR in four of the five seasons he has played in the IPL. He was one of the key members of the KKR team in the first leg of IPL 2021. However, he pulled out of the second leg of IPL 2021 due to personal reasons and was not retained by KKR ahead of the new season.
KKR management could look to acquire Cummins in the upcoming auction again as he is a possible candidate for the captaincy. Cummins is currently captaining the Australian Test team and has led them to a comprehensive win over England.
He has picked up 38 wickets in the IPL at an average of 30.13. Cummins is the number one-ranked bowler in Test cricket.
#1 Dwayne Bravo
The West Indian all-rounder could be a surprise pick as the captain for KKR. Despite being a match-winner with both bat and ball for Chennai Super Kings, Dwayne Bravo has not been retained by the side.
Bravo has an incredible record in the tournament. He has picked up 167 IPL wickets at an average of 24.32. Bravo does the bulk of his bowling in the death overs and has been exceptional in T20 cricket over the years.
He has a strike rate of 130.25 in 107 IPL innings and can be a handy batsman lower down the order. Captaining and leading his team to glory in the IPL could be the perfect addition to what has been an exceptional T20 career for Bravo.