Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) looked out of colour in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, concluding their journey in the seventh spot on the points table with only six wins and eight losses. The two-time IPL champions played under Nitish Rana’s captaincy as their regular skipper Shreyas Iyer couldn’t mark his presence due to an injury.
In the upcoming season, Shreyas Iyer will be leading the side and he will also receive the guidance of KKR’s former captain Gautam Gambhir, who won two titles for the team and has joined the side as a mentor. With the return of Iyer as captain and Gambhir as a support staff member, KKR fans will want their team to quench their thirst for the trophy which has been going on since 2015.
Shreyas Iyer's comeback will also vitalise KKR’s batting unit as the skipper has looked in great touch in white-ball cricket for India recently. However, besides Shreyas, some other batters can also do wonders for Knight Riders with their exceptional skills.
Here are three batters to watch out for in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):
3. Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a few quality innings for KKR in his debut season in 2023 but the team management will want him to be more confident in the upcoming season and deliver fierce starts to the side. The wicketkeeper batter is known for his aggressive batting style and the KKR team management will want him to be effective in initial powerplay overs.
Currently, the Afghan stalwart is serving Dubai Capitals in the 2024 edition of the International League T20 (ILT20). In the second game of the competition, he put up a scintillating show with his bat, notching up a match-winning 81 off just 39 against MI Emirates. During his team’s India tour, he played a 50-run knock against the Men in Blue in the third T20 International (T20I) played in Bengaluru.
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2. Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh looked sensational in the previous IPL edition, notching up 474 runs in 14 matches at a magnificent strike rate of 149.52. These numbers also made him the highest run-getter for Knight Riders in the season. The stylish southpaw will get the responsibility of a match-finisher from the team and he will strive to do it efficiently.
The 26-year-old has looked stunning in India colours as well. Appearing in 15 T20Is, he has hit 356 runs in 11 innings at a breathtaking strike rate of 176.23. If Knight Riders want to lift the IPL trophy after 10 years, Rinku will have to continue his fine batting form in the upcoming season.
See Here: SWOT Analysis of Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2024
1. Jason Roy
England opener Jason Roy was one of the players who was retained by KKR before the 2024 IPL auction in Dubai. The stylish right-handed batter showed up in eight games for Knight Riders in the previous season and scored 285 runs at a superb strike rate of 151.59.
Roy is known for coming heavily on bowlers from the word go and utilising his exceptional batting skills, KKR can win the trophy after 10 years. The right-handed batter has been actively playing in T20 leagues since his ouster from England’s T20I team in 2022. The 33-year-old will endeavour to serve KKR efficiently in the upcoming competition and get a spot in England’s 2024 T20 World Cup team.
See Here: KKR Team 2024 Player List
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