3 reasons why the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) might be in trouble at the IPL 2023 auction

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) might find themselves in a tight corner at the IPL 2023 auction table on Friday (December 23). The two-time champions have revamped their squad from last season, releasing 16 players, including the likes of Pat Cummins and Alex Hales.

As a result, the team is now left with ₹7.05 crore in their purse with a maximum of 11 slots still available to them. KKR managed to get some off-season trades over the line, signing up Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from the Gujarat Titans (GT). The franchised also secured Shardul Thakur from the Delhi Capitals (DC), in exchange for Aman Khan.

Despite these off-season trades, the Kolkata Knight Riders are expected to be in a tricky spot at the IPL 2023 auction. We take a look at three reasons why:

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#1 A limited purse

With only ₹7.05 crore left in their purse (the lowest amongst all franchises), the Knight Riders will have to get some shrewd business done at the IPL auction. The two-time champions have released as many as 16 players ahead of this auction and also have a limited group of core players.

Rearranging a large squad will take some doing for the franchise. They have a total of 11 slots available (eight domestic and three overseas) in their roster. However, at this stage, it looks unlikely that they will be able to complete their entire squad with the kind of money they have left.

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#2 Holes to plug

The Knight Riders have been rather ordinary in their behind-the-scenes organization in recent times, probably since Gautham Gambhir left the franchise. Having to rejig their side around with a new captain in Shreyas Iyer, the team might have more than a few holes to plug at the IPL auction.

The team is ridiculously short on high-quality batters who can make an impact at the top of the order. Not only that, but most batters in the team are also excellent spin hitters who tend to struggle against high-end pace.

Apart from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and probably Sunil Narine to some extent, there is no other player in the squad who ticks the two boxes. With the acquisitions of Shardul Thakur and Lockie Ferguson, KKR have the makings of a decent bowling unit that still needs a consistent wicket-taking option.

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#3 Question marks over KKR's plan for the future

It's fair to say that KKR have got a few issues to address at the IPL auction table if they are to fight together as a unit on the field. Holes can be plugged in with shrewd budget buys if required. However, squad construction will need to be key, especially with their two best players nearing the twilight of their careers.

Sunil Narine and Andre Russell have a long-standing association with KKR. The two West Indians are the senior-most members of the side and are usually relied on to work their magic.

The worrying aspect for the Knight Riders, though, is the fact that they don't have any potential replacements lined up for either. With Russell (34) playing with a dodgy knee that has hampered his career, and Narine (also 34) entering probably his last couple of seasons in the IPL, KKR will need to start planning for the future.