Kolkata Knight Riders have always been a team that has evoked unprecedented fanfare. Their journey too has been worth documenting, from a group of struggling players to a group which transformed itself completely to lift the trophy twice.
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They have always been a mercurial side and have breathed hot and cold within a very short span of time. They can also be labelled as the most marketable team and with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan as their co-owner, there is bound to be a sense of excitement and enigma along the way.
They got off to a horror start in the initial years of the tournament, but have got their acts together and built a nice and solid bunch of players. Their crux remains largely unchanged coming into IPL 2016, and they will start their campaign against the Delhi Daredevils on the 10th of April at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
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Here is the predicted XI for their first match against Delhi Daredevils.
Gautam Gambhir (Captain)
The transformation of the franchise began in 2011 when they dismantled their team completely and much to the ire of the general public in Bengal dropped Saurav Ganguly. They appointed Gautam Gambhir as the captain and selected a whole new bunch of players. This move yielded immediate results and Gambhir captained the side to the top four in 2011, and the team has gone from strength to strength ever since.
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Gambhir with a sobre look on his face revels when handed a responsibilty and he is one of the main players for the team. Opening the batting, Gambhir has provided fiery starts at the outset and laid a platform for the others to follow.
He has been a consistent performer in the IPL and has scored more than 3000 runs at an average touching 30, and a strike rate of 124.52.
Gambhir will once again look to get his team off to a good start and lead the side by example.
Robin Uthappa (Wicket Keeper)
Robin Uthappa has forged a solid partnership with Gambhir at the top and is also an experienced campaigner now. A pristine timer of the cricket ball, Uthappa has always captured attention of the audience and the the selectors. He has been a consistent run getter and also has the power game that is so essential in this shortest format.
The man from Karnataka has had a fruitful Ranji Trophy season and will look to continue his form into the IPL, where good performances might once again push him into national reckoning.
He has worked hard to improve his wicket-keeping skills and this dimension has given an extra edge over many players of the same age. He is most certainly knocking on the doors of the Indian selectors and another year of IPL dominance will make it hard to neglect him.
In the 120 matches he has played in the IPL, Uthappa has scored 2996 runs with an average of 29.96 and a strike rate of 127.70.
Manish Pandey
Manish Pandey has earned quite a reputation in these 4-5 months. After a stunning century in Sydney to see India home, Pandey was drafted in as a last minute replacement for the injured Yuvraj Singh for the semi-finals against West Indies in the recently concluded World T20.
Pandey also holds the record for being the first Indian centurion in the IPL and has hit his straps quite well in the KKR line up. His knock in the 2014 finals against the Kings XI Punjab is one for the ages and his international experience will now hold him in great stead going into the IPL.
Batting in at number 3, Pandey will be both the aggressor as well as the accumulator if the need may be. He has found new wings in the KKR side and is also a dynamic fielder anywhere in the park.
In 77 matches, Pandey has scored 1571 runs at an average of 25.33 and a strike rate of 116.11. These figures will only go up if Pandey plays to his potential.
Suryakumar Yadav
Ever since Yadav was snapped up by the KKR in the 2014 auctions he has not disappointed. He is a prolific run getter in the domestic circuit and has carried it on in the IPL as well.
He plays in an onorthodox manner and loves picking up the ball on the on-side, and he seldom is daunted by the opposition bowlers.
Yadav will bat at number 4 for KKR and will be crucial to their scheme of things, as he forms the crux in the line up hogged by Indian players.
In 30 matches Suryakumar has scored 321 runs with an average of 21.40 and a strike rate of 137.17
Yusuf Pathan
The big hitting Pathan was the greatest success story of the inaugural edition of the IPL for the Rajasthan Royals. He has not quite been able to replicate his performances for the Kolkata Knight Riders, but he enjoys the confidence of the team management and his skipper Gautam Gambhir.
Pathan has the potential to change matches in a jiffy and he would hope to finally live up to his labelling, and be able to provide the late kick needed to the innings. Also, on the sluggish surface at the Eden Gardens, Pathan is more than handy with his off spinners and would ideally like to provide that edge to his team.
He is an out an out match winner on his day and KKR fans would love more for his ‘day’.
In 119 matches in the IPL, Yusuf has amassed 2400 runs with an average over 28 and an impressive strike rate of nearly 147. With the ball he is no slouch either, as he has prized out 40 wickets with a more than acceptable economy of 7.39.
Andre Russell
The man from Jamaica has now become one of the most sought after players around the world in this format. A hard hitting batsman who can tear apart opposition bowlers, Russell has won games with his bat from seemingly hopeless situations. Playing for the Sydney Thunders in the Big Bash League, Russell enthralled the audience, and he has had his moments of glory in the IPL as well.
He is also a fast bowler who runs in and bowls fast and mean deliveries, and this adds another wing to his prowess. A brilliant athlete, Dre Russ as he loves to be called will be one of the many players from the Caribbean to watch out for.
In the 22 matches he has played in the IPL, Russell has smashed 386 runs at an average of 25 and a whopping strike rate nudging 178. With the ball too he has proven his worth as he has snapped up 16 wickets.
Shakib Al Hasan
The southpaw from Bangladesh is arguably the best cricketer the country has produced. He is currently the number one ranked player in One Day Internationals and number 2 in T20Is, a clear indication of his talent and worth.
He is expected to once again from a critical cog in the KKR team as he renders the much sought after balance. He can finish games off and is a canny slow left arm bowler who can choke opposition batsman with his wily spin. He is also a good reader of the game and can help the think tank to formulate strategies on and off the field.
With the bat, in 32 matches so far he has scored 383 runs at an average of 21.27 with an imposing strike rate of 139.27.
As a bowler he has picked up 38 wickets with an economy of 6.92. Watch out for him as he comes into the tournament on the back of some impressive performances in the recently concluded World T20.
Piyush Chawla
A wily leg spinner, Chawla has been quite outstanding for the men in purple with his penetrating bowling. He has been around the circuit for a long time now and hence is a much experienced cricketer.
He was an expensive purchase for the KKR and he has not disappointed them so far. He is also a lusty lower order batsman for KKR, and his final over heroics in the 2014 finals might still be fresh in every KKR fan’s mind.
On the generally low and slow surfaces at the Eden Gardens, Chawla with his leg spin can pose a real threat. He has picked up 109 wickets so far in the IPL at an economy of 7.55.
Sunil Narine
He is the trump card as far as KKR is concerned. Picked up in 2012, Narine spun a web across batsmen from all teams as he picked up 24 wickets in that season at an economy rate of 5.47. He continues to be a threat and generally bowls at the death and stamps his authority all over.
He however comes into this tournament after his action was pulled up and has undergone change. He pulled out the World T20 as he believed there was "insufficient progress in the rehabilitative work on his bowling action". How this will effect his prowess remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that he will very important once again in the KKR scheme of things.
He has so far taken 74 wickets at an amazing average of 17.77 and a miserly economy rate of 6 rpo.
Umesh Yadav/ Jaydev Unadkat
Umesh Yadav has been a good bowler for India in Test Matches, but leaks far too many runs in the shortest format. He was thus sidelined for the World T20, and it will be interesting to see if he enjoys the confidence of the KKR team management and Gautam Gambhir.
On the other side is Jaydev Unadkat who has had a superlative Ranji Trophy season and has grown leaps and bounds with his left arm seamers. While on one hand he can provide the left-armers variety, he can also pick up crucial wickets with the new ball. He picked up 40 wickets this Ranji Trophy season in 11 matches and was a potent weapon for Saurashtra. If he can continue this form into the shortest format, he will definitely be someone to watch out for.
Morne Morkel/ John Hastings
With a side that is packed with spinners, Morne Morkel is that quick bowler that renders balance to the team, and he will run in with the new ball and will look to hustle the batsmen with hostile pace and steep bounce. He has been a consistent performer for KKR over the years too.
However if the team is looking at current form, John Hastings might just get a nod ahead of Morne Morkel. The big burly fast bowler from Victoria has enjoyed a purple patch of late and did quite well against India during their recent tour and was in the Australian T20 squad. He generally angles the ball into the batsman and is also good at the death with his yorkers and changes of pace. He is also a capable lower order batsman, so he might be included to elongate the batting if the need may arise.
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