IPL 2019: Analysis of the Kolkata Knight Riders and season prediction

Kolkata Knight Riders were the most underrated team by the experts last season but they falsified everyone with their superb performance and fell just one step behind to reach the final. KKR have played impressively in the last two seasons but failed to qualify for the finals on both occasions and had to settle for third place.

The team management of the Knight Riders believes in having T20 specialists in their squad which is evident why they pay huge just for one personality; Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Carlos Brathwaite being the perfect examples of it.

2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League - Trinbago Knight Riders v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots

Kolkata Knight Riders have some experienced campaigners in form of their skipper Dinesh Karthik, Robin Uthappa, and Piyush Chawla. Blended with young talents like Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Rana, and others.

Overall they have a perfect mixture to win the trophy this time. They are the only team in the league which has most numbers of players who can win you matches single-handedly. Lockie Ferguson, Carlos Brathwaite, and Joe Denly were some of KKR's notable buys in the auctions.

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad

Batsmen: Shubman Gill, Chris Lynn, Rinku Singh

Wicket-keepers: Dinesh Karthik, Robin Uthappa, Nikhil Naik

All-rounders: Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Carlos Brathwaite, Joe Denly, Nitish Rana, Shrikanth Mundhe, Shivam Mavi

Bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Lockie Ferguson, Andrich Nortje, Harry Gurney, Yarra Prithviraj, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna

They have a good back-up in Denly and Brathwaite for Lynn and Russell respectively. Rinku Singh has been in sublime form and it is raining runs for him in the Ranji Trophy. KKR also bought three specialist pacer with each having a different quality. Lockie Ferguson clocks 150 km/h regularly, Harry Gurney has the perfect yorkers and Anrich Nortje has a lot of variations in his kitty. Kamlesh Nagarkoti will make his IPL debut this time after missing out last year due to injury.

England U19's v India U19's - 5th ODI

Narine, Russell, Lynn, Uthappa, Karthik, Gill and Kuldeep are renowned match winners in the shortest format of the game.

Lynn and Narine will again open for the Knights this season and if they both get going it will be a nightmare for the opponent bowlers. They have a dependable middle order consisting of Uthappa, Rana, and Gill with Karthik and Dre Russ as the finishers.

Russell can smack any bowler for six from the third-man region to silly point with ease. Ferguson as their foreign quickie along with the spin duo Chawla and Kuldeep. Expect Prasidh Krishna as their lone Indian pacer in the XI.

KKR's Expected Starting XI

Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Dinesh Karthik (c, wk), Andre Russell, Lockie Ferguson, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna

Knight Riders have a huge fanbase and are the most valued IPL team in the market out there, they have every T20 ingredient to winning the cup if not they will be unfortunate enough not to win this time. As far as one can predict they definitely have a playoffs spot reserved already and winning the trophy would be a bonus for the two-time Champions.