IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra names the three players the Kolkata Knight Riders should retain

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has named three players the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) should retain if there happens to be a mega-auction before IPL 2021. He made these picks in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra went for Shubman Gill, Andre Russell and Varun Chakravarthy as the only three players the Kolkata Knight Riders should retain before the IPL 2021 auction.

"In my opinion, the Kolkata Knight Riders should not retain too many players. I will take only three names - Shubman Gill, Andre Russell and Varun Chakravarthy."

The reputed commentator also wants the Kolkata Knight Riders to appoint Shubman Gill as their captain and groom him for the future, something similar to what the Delhi Capitals did with Shreyas Iyer.

"They should retain the three of them and make Shubman Gill the captain. I am thinking ahead, just like the Delhi Capitals did with Shreyas Iyer. So, KKR should groom Gill for a better future."

He pointed out that if Shubman Gill is released by the Kolkata Knight Riders, he could become a successful captain of another franchise just like Rohit Sharma did after being acquired by the Mumbai Indians.

"If KKR is seeing any captaincy material in Shubman Gill, then they will not get the chance again. If they let him go to another team, then Shubman Gill might do for that team what Rohit Sharma has done for Mumbai."

The 43-year-old observed that the Kolkata Knight Riders should surely retain Varun Chakravarthy and not let go of Andre Russell as the Jamaican would be very expensive at the auction.

"They have to retain Varun Chakravarthy in any case and if they leave Andre Russell, he will be too expensive to buy again, so they should retain him as well."

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Aakash Chopra on the players the Kolkata Knight Riders should release

Aakash Chopra does not want the Kolkata Knight Riders to retain Pat Cummins [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra suggested that the Kolkata Knight Riders should not retain Sunil Narine and Pat Cummins to have a larger available purse at the IPL 2021 auction.

"They can release Sunil Narine and Pat Cummins as a lot of money will get freed up when they release these two players."

While stating that he is not in favour of Eoin Morgan continuing as the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, Aakash Chopra signed off by observing that the franchise should release the Irishman and buy him back at the auction even if they want to make him the skipper.

"Eoin Morgan, even if they want to make him the captain which I don't think is a great idea, will not go for 12-15 crores in the auction. So I feel they should let him go and buy him back again if they want him."

It will be a tough call for the Kolkata Knight Riders to release the trio of Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine and Eoin Morgan before the IPL 2021 auction. The Aussie quick and the Trinidadian all-rounder might go for huge bucks, making it difficult for the franchise to buy them back if they wish to do so.