IPL 2019: RR vs KXIP – Predicted Overseas players for Kings XI Punjab

Kings XI Punjab had started really well last season as they won five out of their first seven games. However, they lost their form during the latter half of the season as they just won a single game in the next seven. As a result, they ended their season on the seventh place and had another disappointing season. Before the auctions for IPL 2019, they let go of many players and even changed their head coach to Mike Hesson.

There are many new faces in their team as they spent a lot of money on some of the youngsters like Sam Curran, Nicholas Pooran Prabhsimran Singh and Varun Chakravarthy. It would be interesting to see as to how many of these players get a place in the first XI regularly.

The Ravi Ashwin led team has their openers and the spin department sorted but their middle-order looks a bit weak. It seems as if they lack a bit of firepower in that middle-order. They have some good Indian pacers in Ankit Rajpoot and Mohammed Shami.

KXIP start their 2019 campaign against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur. RR has most of their overseas players sorted but you can’t say the same about KXIP. So, let’s have a look at the four overseas players that might play for KXIP in their opening match.

---

#4. Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Mujeeb Ur Rahman was by far the best spinner for KXIP last year. In the eleven games which he played, he picked up 14 wickets at an average of 20.64. His economy rate was just under seven which is phenomenal in the IPL. He was troubling all the batsmen with his variations.

The wrist spinner even got the wicket of Virat Kohli bowled through the gate as he failed to read Rahman’s googly. He is a really smart bowler and knows when to use which variation. In the last 8-10 months, Mujeeb has become even more dangerous. He opens the bowling for Afghanistan and tries to restrict the opposition in the powerplay.

Mujeeb is one of the best spinners in this format right now. There is no doubt that when Ashwin and the team management sit to pick the team for the first game, his name will be there on that list.

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on IPL 2019 live scores, purple cap, points table, schedule, news, orange cap and fantasy tips.

#3. Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle

If Chris Gayle's form in the recently concluded ODI series against England is anything to go by, there should be no doubts in anyone's mind about the calibre of the Universe Boss. The aggressive batsman was smashing the ball out of the park for fun in his last ODI series in Windies.

The southpaw scored 424 runs in just 4 innings with an average of 106 and strike-rate of 134.18. He smashed two centuries and two fifties in the series and most importantly, he hit 39 sixes in four innings! Nobody could match the numbers generated by Gayle in that series.

In the last ODI, it seemed as if he was batting in a T20 as he smashed 78 runs off 25 balls. It bought back the memories of the old Chris Gayle who had smashed a century in 30 balls against PWI. The form with which Gayle is going, he should make it to the side every day.

#2. Andrew Tye

Andrew Tye

Andrew Tye was bought by the Kings XI Punjab in the 2018 auction for a whopping 7.2 Crore. The Punjab based franchise were proved to be right in spending huge sum for him as he was the Purple Cap holder last season.

Tye was absolutely brilliant last year with the ball in hand as he picked up 24 wickets in the 14 games at an average of 18.66 and an economy rate of 8. He too has a lot of variations up his sleeve and is considered to be the master of the knuckle-ball.

However, he has not been in the best of form since last few months. He isn’t performing well and as a result, he lost his place from the Australian side. But then, he is a class bowler and it’s just a matter of time before the tide turns for Tye and so even if he isn’t in great form he should make the side.

#1. Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran

Ideally, KXIP would like to play Sam Curran who has been bought for 7.2 Crore in the auction. But as mentioned earlier, their Indian middle-order looks a bit weak and they would like to strengthen their middle-order with some explosive overseas batsmen.

They would have liked to play Miller but he won’t be available for the first game because he is featuring in the ongoing T20I series against Sri Lanka which ends on the March 24. In such a situation, the Punjab think tank might decide to go with Nicholas Pooran.

Pooran is an aggressive left-handed batsman who has the capability of clearing the ropes. He had a good T20I series in India last year and was in great form in the Bangladesh Premier League as well.

He can bring the X-factor in the batting line-up which KXIP missed last year. It would be interesting to see as to how the southpaw performs in the best T20 league.