The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Cricket team is an Indian franchise. The team is owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla and they play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).They have won two IPL titles. KKR have a long history of success and are always considered one of the top teams in the tournament.
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KKR 2022 Stats
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) represent the city of Kolkata in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Owned by actress Juhi Chawla, her husband Jay Mehta and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, the team plays at the Eden Gardens.
The 2022 stats for KKR are very encouraging as they have picked up a lot of quality players at the IPL auctions. The likes of Pat Cummins (INR 7.25 crore), Nitish Rana (INR 8 crore) and Shivam Mavi (INR 7.25 crore) are some smart buys.
In the batting department, captain Shreyas Iyer and finisher Andre Russell have looked great. Besides, Sunil Narine has been a steady performer with the ball. Umesh Yadav and Tim Southee have also been good performers for the side.
KKR Historical Record on IPL
One of the most successful cricket teams in India, KKR has made a big name for itself on the world stage. The team is owned by two superstars in the Bollywood film industry (Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla) and boasts some of the most talented players in the game.
In addition to this, they are also known for their awe-inspiring winning streaks in the tournament. This includes a record 10-match win streak that dates back to 2014 and 2015 before ending with a defeat against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The IPL is an exciting league where great batsmen and bowlers can create awe-inspiring records. In fact, some of the biggest records in the league were created by relatively less-recognized players.
KKR Full Squad & Price 2023
Batsmen
- Shreyas Iyer (c)
- Mandeep Singh
- Nitish Rana
- Rinku Singh
Bowlers
- Harshit Rana
- Kulwant Khejrolia
- Lockie Ferguson*
- Shardul Thakur
- Suyash Sharma
- Tim Southee*
- Umesh Yadav
- Vaibhav Arora
- Varun Chakravarthy
All-rounders
- Anukul Roy
- Andre Russell*
- David Weise*
- Shakib Al Hasan*
- Sunil Narine
- Venkatesh Iyer
Wicket Keepers
- Litton Das
- Naratan Jagadeesan
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
| Player | Role | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Shreyas Iyer (c) | Batsmen | 12.25 crore |
| Nitish Rana | Batsmen | 8 crore |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-Rounder | 8 Crore |
| Andre Russell | All-Rounder | 12 Crore |
| Sunil Narine | All-Rounder | 6 Crore |
| Umesh Yadav | Bowler | 2 crore |
| Tim Southee | Bowler | 1.5 crore |
| Harshit Rana | Bowler | 20 lakh |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Bowler | 8 Crore |
| Anukul Roy | All-Rounder | 20 lakh |
| Rinku Singh | Batsmen | 55 lakh |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Batsman/Wicket-keeper | 50 lakh |
| Shardul Thakur | Bowler | 10.75 Crore |
| Lockie Ferguson | Bowler | 10 Crore |
| N Jagadeesan | Batsmen | 90 lakh |
| Vaibhav Arora | Bowler | 60 lakh |
| Suyash Sharma | Bowler | 20 lakh |
| David Wiese | All-Rounder | 1 crore |
| Kulwant Khejroliya | Bowler | 20 lakh |
| Litton Das | Wicket-keeper | 50 lakh |
| Mandeep Singh | Batsmen | 50 lakh |
| Shakib Al Hasan | All-Rounder | 1.5 crore |
IPL 2023 KKR New Signing Players
The IPL 2023 season is a bit away, but the KKR are already making moves to strengthen their team. They have already kept New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson and Afghan wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz in a trade from Gujarat Titans.
The franchise is also looking for an Indian fast bowler. They’re missing Pat Cummins, so a good option could be Jaydev Unadkat. The left-arm pacer had a great domestic season for Saurashtra, earning a call-up to India’s test squad. He should be able to provide a decent return at a reasonable price.
| Player | Role | Salary | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harshit Rana | Bowler | INR 20 Lakhs(R) | India |
| N. Jagadeesan | WK-Batsman | INR 90 lakh | India |
| Vaibhav Arora | Bowler | INR 60 lakh | India |
| Suyash Sharma | Bowler | INR 20 lakh | India |
| David Wiese | All-rounder | INR 1 crore | Namibia |
| Kulwant Khejroliya | Bowler | INR 20 lakh | India |
| Litton Das | WK-Batsman | INR 50 lakh | Bangladesh |
| Mandeep Singh | Batsman | INR 50 lakh | India |
| Shakib Al Hasan | All-rounder | INR 1.5 crore | Bangladesh |
KKR Retained Players 2023
| Player | Role | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Shreyas Iyer (c) | Batsmen | 12.25 crore |
| Nitish Rana | Batsmen | 8 crore |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-Rounder | 8 Crore |
| Andre Russell | All-Rounder | 12 Crore |
| Sunil Narine | All-Rounder | 6 Crore |
| Umesh Yadav | Bowler | 2 crore |
| Tim Southee | Bowler | 1.5 crore |
| Harshit Rana | Bowler | 20 lakh |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Bowler | 8 Crore |
| Anukul Roy | All-Rounder | 20 lakh |
| Rinku Singh | Batsmen | 55 lakh |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Batsman/Wicket-keeper | 50 lakh |
| Shardul Thakur | Bowler | 10.75 Crore |
| Lockie Ferguson | Bowler | 10 Crore |
KKR Released Players 2023
Post the KKR’s poor performance in their last outing KKR might seek to make some changes. Though the 2023 auction is a mini-auction, KKR might not risk losing their core players. They released many players before the auction, remaining several places for new players. It seems that KKR are seeking a fresh team which is ready to have something different in IPL 2023. Here are the players who were released in 2023:
- Pat Cummins
- Sam Billings
- Aman Khan
- Shivam Mavi
- Mohammad Nabi
- Chamika Karunaratne
- Aaron Finch
- Alex Hales
- Abhijeet Tomar
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Ashok Sharma
- Baba Indrajith
- Pratham Singh
- Ramesh Kumar
- Rasikh Salam
- Sheldon Jackson
KKR Key Players in 2023
KKR is a strong side with a good balance between power-hitting and finishing players. They have strong batters like Shreyas Iyer, Sunil Naraine, Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh who are able to hit the ball hard.
KKR’s West Indies duo of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine form a lethal bowling combination with Varun Chakravarthy, while Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, and Umesh Yadav offer pace.
They have a shrewd skipper in Shreyas Iyer and have strong X-factors like Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz who are able to hit the ball well. They have a few young Indian fast bowlers who can add depth and have bowled well on the Indian pitches in the past.
#1-Shakib Al Hasan(all-rounder)
One of the most successful all-rounders to have ever played for Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan has made an indelible mark on the international cricket scene. He is a masterful combination of batsman and bowler, and is known for his incisive fielding abilities as well.
He has a reputation as a match winner in all formats of the game, and is a formidable threat to any team with his stifling slow left-arm orthodox spin. He has been named the Man of the Series in all three formats of the game and is widely regarded as one of the top all-rounders in world cricket. He is also the latest Top all-rounder on ICC ranking board.
Playing Style
With the bat, he is a classy left-handed batsman who is adept at taking on spin and pace. He has the ability to notch up centuries and take wickets at a furious rate. He has also been a consistent run-scorer in the shortest format of the game.
Strength
His Test career has been a joy to watch as he has shown his versatility in all formats of the game. He has been the leading all-rounder in Test and ODI cricket for most of his career.
He has been an integral part of the Bangladesh team for a long time now. He has been a key member of their success in the 2011 World Cup, and is a key component to their T20 successes as well. He is also an IPL star and has experience playing county cricket in England, Australia and the Caribbean Premier League. He is a proven all-rounder and would be a valuable addition to India’s Test side.
#2-Andre Russell(all-rounder)
As a young West Indian, Russell was a revelation in domestic T20 cricket before making his international debut for the Caribbean. His savage hitting made him the talk of the town.
He was a part of the 2012 and 2016 West Indian sides that won ICC World T20 titles. He was also named the Man of the Tournament in the IPL in 2019.
Playing style
His batting technique is a combination of power and precision. He generates fair pace and bounce with the ball in hand.
When he is playing at his best, he is a finisher who can carry the ball a long way. He will also get to the ball quickly when it is close in to him in the field.
He is also a good all-rounder who can take the attack to the opposition. He can be a threat with the ball, but his ability to hit the stumps is what makes him so successful in T20.
Strength and weakness
His weaknesses are his lack of discipline in the field and his tendency to make careless errors in the field. His carries are not particularly well judged and he often takes the wrong lines in his catches.
Despite his flaws, he is still one of the most dangerous all-rounders in the game and his bowling can be devastating.
He has the talent to become an excellent cricketer but he needs more time to develop in the shortest format. He should be a key player for West Indies in the future but there is no guarantee that he will reach the highest level of the sport.
#3-Shreyas Iyer(batsman)
Shreyas Iyer is a young, attacking batsman who has shown excellent ability to pick the length of the ball and time his strokes with precision. He is a fearless hitter and has been compared to the legendary batsman Virender Sehwag.
He is one of the most feared batsmen in the Indian team and has a reputation for striking at high speeds with great accuracy. He possesses excellent hand-eye coordination and has been a key member of the Indian side for the past few years.
Iyer is a strong middle order batsman and can also play at number five or lower depending on the situation. He has shown his versatility in the limited overs format and can be a great asset to any team.
But he has an inherent weakness with the short ball, which can be used by bowlers in SENA* countries to lure him into pulling or ducking. This could make him a less impactful batsman in tests but he will be able to play his part as a middle order batsman in white ball cricket if he can overcome this issue.
He has an impressive record of batting in both red and white ball formats, with his best performance coming in the ODIs, where he scored four fifties and a century. He is a rising star and is expected to be a key component in the India side for many years to come.
*‘SENA countries’ is a popular term used in cricket and is an abbreviation used for four cricket playing nations that are South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia.
#5-Lockie Ferguson(all-rounder)
Probably the most interesting New Zealand bowler in recent memory, Lockie Ferguson has made a name for himself in both limited overs and one day cricket. He has played for the likes of Gujarat Titans and Rising Pune Supergiants and will be a part of New Zealand’s squad at the world cup.
He is a prolific ODI bowler and has also made his mark in T20 cricket. He is a genuine speedster who can bowl at speeds of up to 150 kmph.
The most impressive thing about Ferguson is his undeniable enthusiasm and the sheer amount of hard work that goes into getting on the pitch. He cites his coach Steve Smith as a big influence in his career.
He is an impressively tall bowler, standing at 6 foot 7 inches and weighing in at around 180 pounds. His batting skills are a little suspect, but his patented slog and reverse sweep will keep the opposition on their toes. The only downside is the lack of a regular place in New Zealand’s top-order.
KKR Match Schedule 2023
| No | Teams | Date | Time(IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SRH vs KKR | 28-Mar-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 2 | RCB vs KKR | 29-Mar-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 3 | KKR vs PBKS | 31-Mar-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 4 | KKR vs MI | 05-Apr-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 5 | KKR vs DC | 09-Apr-23 | 3:30 PM |
| 6 | SRH vs KKR | 14-Apr-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 7 | RR vs KKR | 17-Apr-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 8 | KKR vs GJ | 22-Apr-23 | 3:30 PM |
| 9 | DC vs KKR | 27-Apr-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 10 | KKR vs RR | 01-May-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 11 | LSG vs KKR | 06-May-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 12 | MI vs KKR | 08-May-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 13 | KKR vs SRH | 13-May-23 | 7:30 PM |
| 14 | KKR vs LSG | 17-May-23 | 7:30 PM |
Final Thoughts
KKR is one of the most popular teams in the IPL. The team is co-owned by Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and is a perennial contender for the IPL crown. They have a good line-up of players and will look to retain them for the next season.
The team has a strong opening pair with Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana. The middle order is stable with Shakib Al Hasan and Andre Russell. The lower-order features slogger Shardul Thakur and bowling spearheads Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, and Varun Chakravarthy.
After they purchased the promising players such as Shakib Al Hasan, David Wiese, and N. Jagadeesan, alonging with the strong core retained players, the performance of this team will be highly expected in IPL 2023. We’ll see.