Picking the combined KKR and SRH 11 for IPL 2023

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) went to the IPL 2023 auction with the highest (₹42.25 crore) and lowest budget (₹7.05 crore), respectively, and expectedly ended up with squads of contrasting qualities.

SRH look sorted with in-form players in every department, except for good Indian batting backups. KKR, meanwhile, are capable of surprising their opponents but still rely heavily on Andre Russell and Sunil Narine. Their opening combination of Venkatesh Iyer and Rahmanullah Gurbaz doesn't offer much confidence either.

But what if we combine the pools of both teams and pick an IPL 11? Here's a look at the same:

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Openers: Mayank Agarwal and Rahul Tripathi

SRH's new-addition Mayank Agarwal will be the team's first player. The former Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain had one of his worst seasons in 2022. He hasn't played much cricket of late either but will bring experience, selfless aggression in the powerplay, and excellent technique against spin.

Rahul Tripathi's game against fast bowling (a career strike rate of 146.28) would complement that. In that regard, the former KKR batter is ahead of the franchise's current openers Venkatesh Iyer and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

Last year, Tripathi scored 413 runs at an average of 37.55 and a strike rate of 158.24 - all career-best figures - while batting at No. 3. Although he's likely to continue in that position in 2023, opening will suit him much better in this team.

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Middle order: Shreyas Iyer (C), Aiden Markram, Harry Brook and Heinrich Klaasen (WK)

Only one between Venkatesh and Shreyas Iyer could have got in this team and although the KKR skipper hasn't quite cracked the T20 format yet, he scored over 400 runs last season and has been in excellent form for India in the ODIs. At No. 3, he provides stability and takes up the responsibility to drive the game.

He's also a better leadership choice than Mayank Agarwal (the likely SRH captain), who had a difficult captaincy debut with PBKS.

Aiden Markram, Harry Brook, and Heinrich Klaasen, all SRH players, pick themselves for the next three spots. The trio showed excellent form across the T20 leagues around the world and international cricket in 2022. Markram scored 381 runs at a strike rate of 139.05 in the IPL, Brook smashed 700 runs in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the T20 Blast, and Klaasen struck at 156.57 for his 238 runs in 10 T20Is.

They are all excellent hitters of the ball with skills perfectly balanced for their positions. Klaasen will be the wicketkeeper for this team and the bridge between the middle order and the finisher.

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All-rounders: Washington Sundar and Andre Russell

The team only gets better as you go further down the order. SRH's off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar and KKR rockstar Andre Russell will take on the finishing duties.

Russell had his second-best IPL season in 2022, collecting 335 runs at an average of 37.22 and a strike rate of 174.48. He was even better with the ball, picking up 17 wickets at a strike rate of under 10. The all-rounder has over the years added variations to his bowling and can now deliver at any stage of the match at full tilt.

Sundar, meanwhile, didn't play all the games last season but showed glimpses of his finishing skills in his 14-ball 40 against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the season opener. Although he picked up just six wickets in 2022, he's one of the most economical young spinners around.

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Bowlers: T Natarajan, Umran Malik and Varun Chakravarthy

SRH's left-arm pacer T Natarajan and express paceman Umran Malik will take the two fast-bowling spots ahead of KKR's Umesh Yadav and Lockie Ferguson (who can't get in because we have already used the four overseas spots).

Natarajan has been good in domestic T20 cricket and Umran has taken big strides for India recently (18 wickets in his last nine international matches).

Natarajan and Umran can take the new ball and the former can share the death-overs responsibility with Russell. SRH leg-spinner Adil Rashid has no space for the same reason as Ferguson.

Varun Chakrvarthy, who has almost disappeared since the 2021 T20 World Cup and hasn't done anything of note in domestic competitions, will have to shoulder the most wicket-taking onus in the middle overs.

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