Middle-order:
Manish Pandey
Manish Pandey may be in and out of the Indian limited-overs set-up, but as far as the KKR are concerned, he is one of the batting mainstays. Ever since he became the first Indian to score a century in the IPL the spotlight has always been on the stylish right-hander to replicate his initial exploits.
One look at his numbers for India might suggest that he hasn't managed to do so but his form in the IPL is a completely different animal. Capable of both marshaling an innings or going berserk depending on what the situation needs him to do, he is the ideal No.3 but he might have to be slightly more flexible this season with Lynn likely to play a major role in their campaign.
With the Champions Trophy in June, he will look to shine in order to secure his place in the Indian side that will fly to England.
Chris Lynn
After his exploits in the BBL, where he simply destroys bowling attacks for fun, there have been plenty of questions as to why he hasn't played as much as he should have for KKR. When he did, he has delivered. Even if it wasn't with the bat, he has pulled off a couple of stunning catches in the field.
Ahead of IPL 2017, though, his incredible form, coupled with the unavailability of key players means that he is finally likely to get a consistent run in the side. As he showed from his time with Brisbane Heat, no ground is big enough, if he hits the ball cleanly. With the newly re-laid track at the Eden Gardens, which is expected to offer plenty of bounce for the seamers, he will fit right in, like a duck to water and could be their key player in the tenth edition of the tournament.
Suryakumar Yadav
In a team that is stocked with international stars and veteran Indian performers who have won major tournaments, Suryakumar Yadav almost sneaks under the radar. His numbers don't make for great reading when compared to the top-order and he doesn't contribute with the ball as well. Yet, he is an integral part of this KKR side because of the flexibility that he provides.
An immensely gifted batsman who should be batting a lot higher than what he usually does for KKR, Suryakumar Yadav is the quintessential modern Indian batsman who is adept at switching gears and formats with ease. Capable of innovative strokes that make him an invaluable asset at the death while also having a repertoire of conventional strokes that give him plenty of run-scoring opportunities if he comes in early as well.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
