IPL 2019: Analysing what each squad lacks on paper

#4 Kolkata Knight Riders - Experienced presence in the middle

KKR is blessed with hard strikers but a calm and composed figure would've been welcomed

KKR is one of the most followed sides in the competition courtesy of their delightful history. The City of Joy has been the home of Kolkata Knight Riders and the Eden Gardens is a fortress where away teams haven't enjoyed a huge amount of success.

Kolkata has won the elusive IPL trophy twice and stand a strong chance of bringing home the third one. The squad is blessed with attacking prowess but one thing the team might miss is someone to hold the strings, someone to stand in when times get tough and this missing link might trouble KKR as the competition nears the business end.

Dinesh Karthik is a solid component of this impressive squad but when the going gets tough and a sudden collapse in the top order occurs, KKR will need someone to calm things down and take them over the line.

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#3 Rajasthan Royals - Bench strength

With the likes of Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Steve Smith, and Ajinkya Rahane, Rajasthan Royals have a formidable squad. The team is blessed with quality overseas players and this does put them in strong contention to contest for the trophy in 2019.

While the team is rich in world-class talents, this is a known fact that many of these players will leave midway for their international duties and it's then, when the Royals feel a bit depleted.

Rajasthan Royals have a decent squad but their backup options aren't really clear and not so great bench strength will hamper the team's progress somewhere in the latter stages of the tournament.