3 Bengal players KKR could target at the IPL 2023 auction

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been among the strongest sides in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the years. They are third on the list of franchises to have won the most IPL titles.

While Mumbai Indians (MI) top the list with five triumphs, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are second with four. KKR, meanwhile, have lifted the precious T20 crown twice - in 2012 and 2014.

KKR were finalists in 2021 under Eoin Morgan but failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 2022 edition. Led by Shreyas Iyer, they finished a disappointing seventh among 10 teams with six wins and eight losses.

Ahead of the IPL 2023 mini-auction, they retained 14 players, three of them being traded in. They have a purse of ₹7.05 crore left with which they can fill a maximum of 11 spots, three of which can be occupied by overseas players.

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Will KKR look to go after these Bengal cricketers at the IPL mini-auction?

With the IPL 2023 auction all set to be held in Kochi on December 23, we will look at three players from Bengal that KKR could target during the bidding process.

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#1 Ishan Porel

Ishan Porel in action during the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup

Bengal medium-pacer Ishan Porel has been a consistent performer on the domestic circuit. In fact, he was the Player of the Match after registering figures of 5/35 and 2/70 as Bengal beat Uttar Pradesh in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 encounter at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. His five-wicket haul in the first innings held Uttar Pradesh to 198 and set the tone for Bengal’s victory.

He had a decent Ranji Trophy last season as well, claiming 14 wickets in four matches at an average of 22.78. Porel has produced decent numbers in his T20 career. In 22 matches, he has claimed 30 wickets at an average of 17.90 and an impressive economy rate of 6.71.

Porel has only played one match in the IPL so far, having made his debut for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 2021 season. He has a listed his name at a base price of ₹20 lakh and could be a good budget buy for KKR.

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#2 Mukesh Kumar

Bengal medium-pacer Mukesh Kumar. Pic: BCCI

Medium pacer Mukesh Kumar was in the news recently when he claimed 6/40 for India A against Bangladesh A in Sylhet at the start of the month. He had a good tour and was the second-highest wicket-taker in the series, claiming nine wickets in two matches at an average of 13.22.

The 29-year-old has produced some pretty impressive numbers in first-class cricket. In 33 matches, he has picked up 123 wickets at an average of 21.49. Looking at his T20 stats, Kumar has 25 scalps in 23 games at an average of 23.68 with an economy rate of 7.20.

Having made his first-class debut back in 2015, he is an experienced campaigner who has also impressed with his consistency. Kumar has listed his name for the IPL 2023 auction at a base price of ₹20 lakh.

It remains to be seen if KKR are among the franchises that show any interest in him.

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#3 Abhimanyu Easwaran

Bengal skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran. Pic: BCCI

Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran recently made headlines when he was named as skipper Rohit Sharma’s replacement in the Indian team for the Test series against Bangladesh.

Easwaran led India A during their tour of Bangladesh and had an exceptional series. He scored 141 in the first unofficial Test and followed it up with 157 in the second.

Prior to his exploits in Bangladesh, the 27-year-old had notched up 122 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022 clash against Services in Ranchi. The right-handed batter has not been considered a T20 batter by IPL franchises so far, which is why he is yet to make his debut in the prestigious T20 league.

Easwaran has so far featured in 27 T20 matches and has scored 728 runs at an average of 38.31 and a strike rate of 121.53. He does have a century to his credit in the format apart from three half-centuries.

The consistent domestic batter, who can bowl a bit of leg spin as well, has listed his name for the IPL auction for a base price of ₹20 lakh.

With a comparatively small purse left, KKR might be tempted to take a look at what Easwaran has to offer.

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