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The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will kick off their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign on Saturday, March 23, at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. The two-time champions will be led by Shreyas Iyer, who is returning after recovering from a back injury.
KKR emptied their pockets at the IPL 2024 auction to get Mitchell Starc for a whopping INR 24.75 crore. The Australian pacer will mark his return to the league for the first time since 2015. He last played in the IPL 2015 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
As the 17th edition of the tournament approaches, Shreyas Iyer & Co. will be eager to get their hands on the coveted silverware, which they haven’t lifted since 2014. KKR made it to the final in 2021 but ended up losing to the current defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
With KKR having added some top names to their squad this year, let’s look at five players who can define the team's outcome at the IPL 2024.
#5 Suyash Sharma
In the 11 matches that Suyash Sharma played last season, he racked up 10 wickets at an economy of 8.23 and an average of 32.10, with his best bowling figures reading 3/30.
Though his economy was on the higher side, Sharma managed to pick up wickets at crucial stages in the game. KKR picked him up for INR 20 lakh and it paid dividends as Suyash Sharma bagged a three-wicket haul in his debut game against RCB.
KKR brought Suyash Sharma as an Impact Player and his almost unplayable googly was something that the batters struggled to tackle. The 20-year-old will be hoping to remain consistent this season.
#4 Shreyas Iyer
The KKR skipper will return to IPL after missing out on the previous season due to an injury. Iyer led KKR to the summit clash in 2021 but the team’s efforts weren’t enough to cross the finish line. KKR had disappointing outings in the previous two seasons and Iyer would look to turn things around.
Shreyas Iyer’s tryst with injuries is known to all. In the recently concluded England tour of India, he was left out of India’s squad and then failed to get an annual contract from the BCCI. He then appeared in the Ranji Trophy matches for Mumbai, but missed the last two days of the final due to a back spasm.
If reports are to be believed, the 29-year-old consulted a spine doctor who advised him to be careful while batting. Though he has been declared fit to play, he must take utmost care of his back.
In his last appearance at the IPL 2022, Shreyas Iyer notched up 401 games in 14 games, including hitting three half-centuries. He looked in great form in the recently concluded Ranji Trophy final, having scored a crucial 95 in the second innings, and would be hoping to carry the momentum.
#3 Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer had a season to remember last year, though his numbers don’t do justice to his performances. In 14 matches, Venkatesh Iyer scored 404 runs at an average of 28.86 and a strike rate of 145.85.
In 14 outings, he notched up two half-centuries and also scripted history by becoming just the second KKR batter to score a century and the first since 2008. Before Venkatesh Iyer, Brendon McCullum had been the only KKR player with a ton to his name.
Though Iyer’s century went in vain as Mumbai Indians eventually emerged victorious, the 30-year-old showed nerves of steel whenever he walked out to bat. This year again, he’d be looking to strengthen the team’s top-order lineup and also contribute with the ball whenever possible.
#2 Mitchell Starc
Australia’s World Cup-winning player Mitchell Starc will be the one to look out for this year. The 34-year-old’s comeback to IPL has already surprised many when his name went down the hammer at the auction.
KKR have shown tremendous faith in Starc and the tall pacer will have a lot to prove as he looks forward to his IPL comeback after seven years. Starc has improved immensely as a bowler and has 171 wickets from the 123 T20s that he has played so far.
Starc has been enjoying a successful international season, having won the World Test Championship (WTC) and the ODI World Cup 2023 with the Australian squad. With luck being on his side, he’d be hoping to put up match-winning performances for KKR as well and prove his worth in the cash-rich event.
#1 Rinku Singh
KKR found themselves a match-winner in Rinku Singh last year. The 26-year-old emerged as a finisher for KKR and took the team to some memorable victories. He finished the 2023 season with 474 runs to his name from 14 games at a remarkable average of 59.25.
His best performance in IPL 2023 came against the then-defending champions Gujarat Titans as he hit five sixes in a row to clinch a magnificent victory for KKR. He rose to the occasion when his team needed 28 runs off five deliveries and took Yash Dayal to the cleaners.
Rinku Singh notched up four half-centuries in his 14 outings last year, with his highest score of 67*(33) coming against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 68th game of the tournament. The middle-order batter is in great form ahead of the 17th edition of the IPL.
Rinku earned an India call-up after his heroics in the IPL 2023 and did not disappoint. A successful IPL 2024 campaign will help him strengthen his case for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
