3 biggest challenges ahead of IPL 2023 for KKR captain Nitish Rana

With a back injury sidelining Shreyas Iyer, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have appointed Delhi batter Nitish Rana as their interim skipper ahead of IPL 2023. He is set to become the least experienced international to lead an IPL team, having played a lone ODI and two T20Is till date.

Rana will team up with head coach Chandrakant Pandit in what is set to be the latter's maiden assignment at the helm of an IPL franchise. The Knight Riders begin their IPL 2023 campaign on April 1 in Mohali, as they face the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the IS Bindra Stadium.

Having failed to qualify for the playoffs last season, KKR have a number of challenges to overcome ahead of the new season. They have a few problems to address and that will be right on top of skipper Rana's agenda.

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Here, we look at three major challenges awaiting him ahead of IPL 2023.

#1 Stepping up as a batter in Shreyas' absence

There is no denying the fact that KKR have not only lost a sound leader, but also their best batter in Shreyas Iyer. It remains unclear as to how long he will remain out of action, but in his absence, it is up to Rana to assume the mantle of KKR's batting lynchpin.

The southpaw has always made his presence felt over the years, although consistency hasn't necessarily been his best friend.

The role of captaincy can work in two ways for a player - it could either bring the best out of him/her or add more pressure. The Knight Riders will hope that it is the former in Rana's case as they seek to cope with Shreyas' absence.

If the left-handed batter can turn in a good season with the bat, it will go a long way in helping the team's cause in IPL 2023.

#2 Identifying the team's frontline death bowler

Will Lockie Ferguson be the one to step up in the death overs for KKR? (File Image).

This was an issue that plagued Kolkata back in 2022, and it doesn't seem like they've done much to solve the problem. Most of their bowlers are better off being used either upfront or in the middle overs, and the onus could once again fall on Sunil Narine and Andre Russell to bowl the slog overs.

A fitness cloud hangs over Lockie Ferguson even as he has arrived in India, while Umesh Yadav was specifically used in the powerplay and bowled out before the death overs last year. That could well continue into IPL 2023, and while Shardul Thakur has bowled at the death before, he tends to be a case of hit or miss.

Rana needs to identify how the overs are split between his bowlers and who assumes this difficult role for KKR. The sooner this is sorted, the easier the campaign will get for the two-time champions.

#3 Mastering the usage of the impact player rule

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The introduction of the impact player substitution has added a fresh layer of intrigue ahead of IPL 2023. KKR boasts the thinnest roster for IPL 2023, which has been further depleted by the absence of Shreyas and the fitness cloud hovering over Ferguson.

Some exciting young Indian players such as Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana and Anukul Roy could get a decent run at specific junctures in the contest as impact players.

Rana and head coach Chandrakant Pandit will have an idea around this, considering that this rule was used during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022-23. All that experience will come in handy and the captain-coach combination must pencil in the right names and keep them ready for the right moment.

How do you think Nitish Rana will fare as KKR captain in IPL 2023? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!

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