Kolkata Knight Riders Overview
Kolkata Knight Riders had a satisfactory 2018 season, with the team finishing third before going down in the second playoffs. The one thing that let them down then was an underperforming middle-order. Thus, in the buildup to the 2019 IPL Auctions, KKR had released as many as 8 players, most of them of foreign descent.
With a budget of just over Rs 15 crores, they were always going to bid for big fishes, especially those from overseas. And the Kolkata franchise didn’t disappoint making some surprising buys.
They bought some impressive but largely unknown foreign players like Lockie Ferguson, Joe Denly, and Anrich Nortje. However, the pick of the shopping for them would be West Indian all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, whom they brought for almost Rs 5 crore. It remains to be seen though whether the feisty cricketer finds a place in the starting XI, considering he had struggled for playing time in the last season with SRH.
Back home, KKR continued, making surprise signings with Shrikant Mundhe and Nikhil Naik being the front runners. They rounded off the auctions by signing Mundhe, Prithvi Yarra and Harry Gurney. Although they are well stocked in the pace department, their batting options may be limited.
Nonetheless, it felt that the Kolkata franchise was confident with how their team has shaped up, as a over Rs 6 crore still left unspent.
Squad strength: 21
Players bought in auction: 8
Purse Unspent: Rs 6.05 Crore
Batsmen | Allrounders | Spinners | Pacers |
| Joe Denly* | S Mundhe* | Piyush Chawla | Prithvi Raj Yarra* |
| Nikhil Naik (wk)* | C Brathwaite* | Kuldeep Yadav | Harry Gurney* |
| Dinesh Karthik (wk) | Andre Russell | Anrich Nortje* | |
| Robin Uthappa (wk) | Sunil Narine | Lockie Ferguson* | |
| Chris Lynn | Nitish Rana | Prasidh Krishna | |
| Shubman Gill | Shivam Mavi | ||
| Rinku Singh | Kamlesh Nagarkoti |
* indicates players signed in the auction
Possible Starting XI: Dinesh Karthik, Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn, Shubman Gill, S Mundhe, Carlos Brathwaite, Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Prithvi Yarra, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Lockie Ferguson.
Media Reaction
not happy with buy..
???#KKR never hear KKRs fans
they always choose team like #Zero interest
we support this team for #SRK but the selectors always play with our emotion
hate and shame on selectors— SakilTheSRKian (@iamsakil) December 18, 2018
Squad looks to me. Obviously not many big names like other teams have but that is what KKR is about, buying unknown players and turning them into stars. Hopefully, this squad will do good. https://t.co/ZRCLo5VQYZ
— Mahmud Mollah (@JaymzMehmud) December 19, 2018
We still remember those mammoth hits from you at Eden in 2016!
Kolkata welcomes you @TridentSportsX.? #KKR #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/MqEfbfRJGp
— Knight Riders (@Rishavcric777) December 18, 2018
The seasoned campaigner Joe Denly from ??????? will bat for #KKR in #IPL2019 ?#ComeHome2KKR #IPLAuction #KorboLorboJeetbo pic.twitter.com/XlB23zMvUD
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) December 18, 2018
Messages of love for the big Barbadian @TridentSportsX from our fans.#KKR #KnightRiders pic.twitter.com/QptZaJIobm
— Knight Riders (@Rishavcric777) December 18, 2018
