IPL 2022 Auction: Kolkata Knight Riders all prepared for IPL Auction – The two-time title winners are set to take the IPL 2022 Mega Auction by storm. Missing out on their third title in last year’s finals, KKR will be eyeing redemption and targeting the title for IPL 2022. However, the team has released some of their main players and will have a tough job of forming their team afresh. Follow IPL 2022 Auction Live Updates on InsideSport.IN
The IPL 2022 Auction will be a mega affair that will take place in Bangalore on 12th and 13th February. A total of 1214 players had registered for the tournament, out of which 590 players are scheduled to go under the hammer.
IPL 2022 Auction: Kolkata Knight Riders KKR Probable Squad, Retained Players, Remaining Purse – Check KKR’s Probable Targets in Auction IPL 2022
Principal owner Shah Rukh Khan and the people of Bengal are awaiting a glimpse of the trophy since their great run under the reigns of Gautam Gambhir. After disappointment under Eoin Morgan, their first target will be to get a captain while going all guns blazing in the auction.
A total of 3 players have been retained by the Knight Riders. As per the new rules the Kolkata outfits have retained Andre Russell for a price of 12 Cr, followed by Varun Chakravarthy and Venkatesh Iyer for 8 Cr each. The retention spot was filled by Sunil Narine for a salary cap of 6 Cr.
IPL 2022 Auction: Kolkata Knight Riders KKR Probable Squad, Retained Players, Remaining Purse – Check KKR’s Probable Targets in Auction IPL 2022
KKR’s IPL 2022 Auction Probable Targets
1. Finding a Captain
One of the chief jobs for KKR would be to find their perfect skipper for the squad. Since the heroics of Gautam Gambhir who won 2 titles for the side, KKR has shuffled captains on a spree without having found the perfect fit. The lowest spot came in IPL 2021 when Dinesh Karthik was relieved of his skipper duties mid-season and English skipper Eoin Morgan took the duties of the captain. However, since Eoin Mogan has not been retained by the team, KKR’s primary target would be to find a suitable captain who would gel well with the team and lead from the front.
2. Investing in Youth
Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have been a part of the KKR team for a long time and have performed quite decently over the years. However, these West Indians are no longer in the best of their youth, and thus KKR needs to invest sensibly in the talented pool of rising youth players. Every team aims in finding the right balance of youth and experienced players in the team, and for KKR it is no different. Varun Chakravarthy and Venkatesh Iyer have been a revelation in IPL and KKR showed a positive approach in securing the players. More such deals would be ideal for SRK’s men.
IPL 2022 Auction: Kolkata Knight Riders KKR Probable Squad, Retained Players, Remaining Purse – Check KKR’s Probable Targets in Auction IPL 2022
3. Overall stability
Let the 𝙈𝙀𝙂𝘼 𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙉𝙏𝘿𝙊𝙒𝙉 begin – 5️⃣9️⃣0️⃣ names to pick from 🔨 ⏳
✋ if you can’t wait to see the #GalaxyOfKnights forming! #KKR #AmiKKR #IPL2022 #MegaAuction2022 #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/H1p1e4APca
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) February 1, 2022
Dinesh Karthik was released from the squad and thus KKR is without a wicketkeeper. KKR needs a hard-hitting wicketkeeper and they are likely to aim for the in-form Quinton de Kock who has been phenomenal off late. Overall stability from openers to the middle order to bowlers is required for KKR after they released their players.
Opener Shubhman Gill is no longer available and the bowling attack needs to be much more brutal for KKR this season, and the likely candidates are former KKR players Pat Cummins and Shivam Mani. With Sunil Narine and Andre Russel being the perfect all-rounders that a team can get, KKR will surely need to focus especially on their batting and bowling department, thereby bringing overall stability for the team.
IPL 2022 Auction: Kolkata Knight Riders KKR Probable Squad, Retained Players, Remaining Purse – Check KKR’s Probable Targets in Auction IPL 2022
