IPL Auction 2022: 3 significant issues with the KKR squad that might be exposed

 

 

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) entered the 2022 mega auction retaining four key players. They signed a new skipper in Shreyas Iyer and brought back former players like Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana and Shivam Mavi. However, we cannot call KKR’s IPL 2022 auction a success. The two-time champions have failed to acquire a few key targets and also have some issues to contend with as they attempt to win their third title.

 

KKR’s squad for IPL 2022: Baba Indrajith, Ashok Sharma, Pratham Singh, Abhijeet Tomar, Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Ramesh Kumar, Mohammad Nabi, Aman Khan, Umesh Yadav, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Rasikh Dar, Chamika Karunaratne.

 

Here are the three most significant issues with the KKR Squad.

 

1. KKR’s batting lacks power: Apart from Andre Russell, KKR barely has any power hitters in batting.

 

2. KKR lack an IPL-tested wicket-keeper : KKR were without a wicket-keeper for a major part of the IPL 2022 auction but they ultimately signed two wicketkeepers, Sheldon Jackson and Sam Billings. Although, both the players have proven themselves to be capable batters in the recent past but they might not be the kind of options an IPL team would want in a first-choice playing XI.

 

3. The team is relying too much on its retentions

 

KKR don’t have much flexibility with regard to their playing 11. They will have to play Russell, Narine and Cummins as three of their four overseas cricketers, while Venkatesh and Varun Chakravarthy also occupy niche roles in the side. The only flexibility KKR have with them is with the roles of the second Indian pacer and wicket-keeper.