The Kolkata Knight Riders side is, undoubtedly, one of the most exciting teams of the Indian T20 extravaganza, that we call the Indian Premier League (IPL). Owned by the King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, the Kolkata-based IPL franchise has seen a lot of ups and downs throughout the eight editions of the coveted T20 tournament.
The Knights, who play their home matches at the magnificent Eden Gardens, have previously gone on to win the Indian Premier League twice in 2012 and 2014 under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir.
The city of joy has, previously, witnessed plentiful star cricketers playing for its very own Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise and the list includes some of the cricketing greats such as Sourav Ganguly, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee.
So, how had these stars performed for the Kolkata-based IPL franchise over the eight editions of the Indian Premier League? Will they find their place in an All-Time Kolkata Knight Riders XI line-up? Let's find out...
Gautam Gambhir (Captain)
Gautam Gambhir is one of the most fruitful acquisitions that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team management could've ever made. The Delhi lad is the highest run-getter in the history of the Kolkata-based IPL franchise which plays its home matches at Eden Gardens.
After having played his first three Indian Premier League seasons for the Delhi Daredevils, Gautam Gambhir joined the Kolkata Knight Riders back in 2011. In the 100 IPL matches that he has played for the 'Men in Purple and Gold', Gambhir has stacked up 2739 runs at a phenomenal average of 30.77.
Moreover, the 34-year-old who can boast of a pretty decent strike rate of 124.44 has scored 25 half centuries for the Kolkata Knight Riders with his highest score being 93.
Not only known for his batting prowess, Gautam Gambhir is also one of the better fielders in the current Kolkata Knight Riders team roster. The Delhiite has, also, guided the Kolkata-based franchise to a couple of Indian Premier League triumphs as a captain, back in 2012 and 2014.
Robin Uthappa (WK)
Robin Uthappa joined the Kolkata Knight Riders family, back in 2014. Since then, the 30-year-old Karnataka batsman has racked up over 1500 runs for the 'Men in Purple and Gold' at a scintillating average of 38.67.
Uthappa has the highest average among all other cricketers who have played for the Kolkata-based IPL franchise, till date.
The man who almost single-handedly won the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) their second Indian Premier League trophy in 2014 exhibits an impressive strike rate of 134.87 with his best score being an unbeaten 85.
The current KKR wicket keeper-batsman has already gone on to score a total of 10 half centuries for his Indian Premier League side.
Sourav Ganguly
The former Team India captain and the poster boy of Bengal cricket, Sourav Ganguly has played for the Kolkata Knight Riders from 2008 to 2010. Although, the 43-year-old hasn’t had much of a success as the captain of the Kolkata-based IPL franchise, but his batting prowess has propelled Ganguly into the All-Time Kolkata Knight Riders XI team.
Sourav Ganguly has scored 1031 runs for the Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise at a respectable T20 average of 28.63. Sourav Ganguly is the fifth highest run getter for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
More famously known as ‘Dada’, Ganguly has gone on to score seven half-centuries for KKR at a decorous strike rate of 110.50. The Prince of Bengal’s quick-fire 91 against Deccan Chargers back in 2008 remains his highest score for the Knight Riders.
Jacques Kallis
The former South Africa international and one of the best all-rounders in the history of world cricket, Jacques Kallis has been one of the most important players for the Kolkata Knight Riders from 2011 to 2014. Kallis hasn't only scored 1603 runs for the Kolkata-based IPL franchise, but he is also the second highest wicket-taker in the history of the Indian Premier League franchise.
The 40-year-old South African is the third highest run scorer for KKR as he had gone on to score over 1600 runs for the Knight Riders at a decent average of 28.12. He has also scored ten half-centuries for the 'Men in Purple and Gold’ with an unbeaten 80 being his highest.
Kallis had also picked up 48 wickets for the Knight Riders at an average of 28.77. The South African's 3 for 13 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013 remains to be his best bowling figure for the Kolkata-based franchise.
Manish Pandey
Manish Pandey joined the Kolkata Knight Riders back in 2011 after his two-year stint with the, now defunct Pune-based IPL franchise, Pune Warriors India. In the two years that Pandey has represented the 'Men in Purple and Gold’, he has gone on to become one of the key players for the squad not only because of his explosive batting but also, his athletic fielding.
The 26-year-old Karnataka man almost single handedly won the Knight Riders their second Indian Premier League final against the Kings XI Punjab in 2014.
Manish Pandey has stacked up 896 runs for the Kolkata-based IPL franchise in the 41 matches that he has played for it, scoring at a healthy T20 average of 28.00. Although Pandey's cumulative average lies around 124, the 26-year-old has, previously, shown that he can surely hit the balls out of the park when it matters the most.
Pandey has also scored four half-centuries for the Knight Riders with his highest score being 94 against the KXIP in the 2014 IPL grand finale.
Yusuf Pathan
Yusuf Pathan has been one of the most loyal and longest-serving cricketers in the history of the Kolkata Knight Riders. Pathan, who is playing his sixth season for the 'Men in Purple and Gold’, has scored over 1700 runs for the IPL franchise.
The 33-year-old pinch-hitter from Vadodara is the second highest run-getter for KKR after his captain, Gautam Gambhir. Pathan has gone on to play some crucial knocks for the Knight Riders from time to time en route to his cumulative 1785 runs at a healthy average of 31.31.
Having said that, the elder Pathan flaunts of a mind-boggling figure strike rate of 137.83.
Yusuf, who happens to be Irfan Pathan's elder brother, is also a handy part-time bowler to have in one's team. He has not only picked up 29 wickets for the Kolkata Knight Riders but also exhibits an impressive economy rate of 7.33.
Andre Russell
The 28-year-old Jamaican, Andre Russell, without a shade of doubt, is one of the most exciting T20 cricketers in the current world cricketing scenario. After having spent a couple of seasons with the Delhi Daredevils, Andre Russell joined the Kolkata Knight Riders side, back in 2014.
In the 31 IPL matches that he had played for KKR, Russell has gone on to score 542 runs for the 'Men in Purple and Gold’ at a respectable average of 25.80. However, with a massive strike rate of 175.97, Russell is the man that you need in your side in the death overs.
Not only a terrific pinch-hitter, Andre Russell's bowling prowess also makes him one of the most lethal cricketers in the world of T20 cricket. The 28-year-old has gone on to clinch 31 wickets for the Knight Riders at a decent strike rate of 17.7.
Shakib Al-Hasan
The 29-year-old Bangladeshi all-rounder, Shakib Al-Hasan had joined KKR back in 2011. Although an all-rounder, Shakib has mostly performed well for the Knight Riders with the ball in his hands.
The fourth highest wicket-taker in the history of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Al-Hasan has picked up 42 wickets in the 44 IPL matches that he has played the ‘Purple and Gold’ brigade till now. Having bowled at a respectable economy rate of 7.00 runs per over,
Shakib’s best bowling figure of 3 for 17 came against a formidable Rajasthan Royals side, back in 2012.
Equally competent with the bat, Shakib Al-Hasan has scored 514 runs for KKR at an average of 20.56. His highest batting score of 66* came against the Gujarat Lions at Eden Gardens last night.
Piyush Chawla
Since he joined the Kolkata Knight Riders squad back in 2014, Piyush Chawla has gone on to become one of the most important players for the Eden Gardens-based IPL side. The 27-year-old bowler has picked up 39 wickets in 39 IPL matches for the 'Men in Purple and Gold'.
Chawla's handy economic rate of 7.86 is a treat to any skipper. The former Kings XI Punjab right-arm leg-break bowler exhibits his IPL career-best bowling figures of 4 for 32 against the Delhi Daredevils back in 2015.
Not only with his bowling but Piyush Chawla has, also, won the Knight Riders a couple of crucial matches including the one against his former IPL franchise, KXIP last year.
Sunil Narine
Sunil Narine is the highest wicket-taker in the history of the Kolkata Knight Riders since the team’s inception in 2008. The 27-year-old Trinidad and Tobago man has picked up 98 wickets in the 70 IPL matches that he has played for the Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise.
The mystery bowler from the West Indies exhibits a phenomenal economy rate of 6.01 whereas, his best bowling figure includes a certain 5 for 19 against the Kings XI Punjab.
Although Narine hasn’t been able to create much of an impact in the ninth edition of the Vivo Indian Premier League, a Kolkata Knight Riders All-Time XI team without the 27-year-old West Indian spinner is, just, not possible to make.
Laxmipathy Balaji
The 34-year-old bowler, Laxmipathy Balaji is the third highest wicket-taker in the history of the Kolkata Knight Riders. Balaji had joined KKR from the Chennai Super Kings back in 2011.
The Tamil Nadu man had picked up 44 wickets in the 42 matches that he had played for the Eden Gardens-based side. With an impressive economy rate of 7.62, Laxmipathy Balaji had consistently bowled well for the Knight Riders in the death overs barring a few odd happenings.
The 34-year-old’s 4 for 18 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore back in 2012 remains to be his best bowling figure.
Manoj Tiwary (12th man)
This name in an all-time Kolkata Knight Riders XI squad might raise a number of eyebrows but the local boy, Manoj Tiwary has performed beautifully for the Kolkata-based franchise, over the years.
Tiwary is KKR's all-time fifth highest run-getter as he had gone on to stack 1136 runs for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the period between 2010 and 2013.
The 30-year-old Bengal cricketer can, also, boast of an impressive T20 average of 28.40. Manoj Tiwary has gone on to post four fifties for KKR with his highest individual score being an unbeaten 75 against Kings XI Punjab.
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