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Kings XI Punjab have not had the best of times in the IPL. In 12 seasons till date, the Kings have been among the top 4 teams on just two occasions .
The first season i.e. 2008 saw the Kings reaching the semifinals, but they have regularly disappointed their fans ever since. The year 2014 was the best season for them, when they finished as the runners-up - losing to Kolkata Knight Riders in the final.
The last five years have been really disappointing. The team has struggled to qualify for the playoffs, and finished at the bottom of the table in the years 2015 and 2016. The year 2017 saw the Kings finishing 5th in the points table, followed by 7th in 2018 and 6th in 2019.
Anil Kumble has been named the head coach for the upcoming season, and will look to make some drastic changes in the team. Here is a look at 3 overseas player who could be targeted by the Kings in the auction:
#1 Jason Holder
The West Indies Test skipper led Barbados Tridents to the covered trophy in the 2019 Caribbean Premier League. The all-rounder from the Caribbean islands is an asset to any team with his all-round skills.
Holder can bowl economically and pick up wickets at regular intervals. He is also a handy batsman lower down the order and can score some quick runs.
Holder last played an IPL game in the year 2016, and has never the IPL stage on fire with his performances. But three years since his last game Holder is a much improved player, and the Kings should look to utilise his services for the upcoming season.
He can be a perfect replacement for Moises Henriques, who did not play a single game in the 2019 season.
Holder has captained West Indies in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, and his presence in the dressing room will be a great learning experience for the young players.
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#2 Mushfiqur Rahim
KL Rahul kept wickets in the 2019 season for the Kings. Rahul is not a regular keeper, and although he had a decent time behind the stumps, a specialized keeper is crucial for any team in T20 cricket.
Mushfiqur Rahim has been an integral part of the Bangladesh team across all three formats. In T20 internationals, the gritty wicketkeeper-batsman has scored four half-centuries and has a strike rate of 118.79.
Rahim has the experience of playing on sub-continent pitches, and is a good keeper to both spin and pace.
Rahim has not played a single season in the IPL. However, the Kings would do well to get a player like him - a specialist keeper and a handy middle order batsman who can stabilize the innings in case of an early innings collapse. Rahim can also play the role of a finisher by scoring quick runs in the death overs, which would be an added bonus.
#3 Glenn Maxwell
The presence of Glenn Maxwell in any team instills instant fear in the minds of the opposition. Maxwell was a part of the Kings outfit from the years 2014-2017 before being released to play for Delhi Capitals in the year 2018.
He withdrew his name from the 2019 auction to prepare for the World Cup. Maxwell will be on the radar of many teams for the upcoming season of the IPL.
The Australian all-rounder scored 552 runs at a strike rate of 187.75 in 2014, and led the Kings to the final. But he could score just 145 and 179 runs in the next two seasons, and struggled to get going in the middle.
The 2018 season saw Maxwell back in form again; he scored 310 runs at an impressive strike rate. Maxwell can be a useful bowler too, and can pick up vital wickets in the middle orders.
Considering Maxwell has spent four years with the Kings, the management would do well to have him back in the scheme of things. Maxwell has opened the batting in T20 internationals for Australia in the past, and can be considered as a opening partner for Chris Gayle in the upcoming season.
Gayle and Maxwell at the top of the order would be a deadly combination, and a nightmare for any opposition.
Maxwell can replace David Miller, who struggled to get going in the 2019 IPL. Miller played just 10 games in the last season and scored only 213 runs.
Maxwell will be a great addition to the Kings outfit, who would be looking to win their maiden title in 2020.
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