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The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) come into the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) with high expectations.
The team's decision to appoint Dinesh Karthik as the captain of the side seemed to have borne fruit when they finished 3rd in IPL 2018 to qualify for the playoffs, but in last year's edition, KKR finished a disappointing 5th. Fans of KKR know that the team is definitely a title contender, and they won't settle for anything less than a top 4 finish.
And with world-class all-rounders in Sunil Narine and Andre Russell to complement young Indian bowlers, KKR seem to have most bases covered as we head into IPL 2020.
We had earlier performed a SWOT Analysis on KKR's squad for IPL 2020, and now, we attempt to predict the playing XI that they will field.
KKR's predicted playing XI for IPL 2020
Note: All players from England and Australia have been assumed to be available, with no official word yet regarding their participation in the first few games of IPL 2020.
Openers: Sunil Narine, Rahul Tripathi
Sunil Narine has taken the IPL by storm ever since he was promoted to an opener's role, and although he won't have Chris Lynn beside him this year, he is still a force to be reckoned with.
The all-rounder was in superb form with both bat and ball in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) before he had to miss a few games due to health issues, and he comes into IPL 2020 with a reasonable amount of match practice.
Narine is expected to be partnered by Rahul Tripathi. The former Rajasthan Royals man is the most experienced among KKR's Indian batsmen, and he is best suited to the opening role that he performed during his time with the Rising Pune Supergiant.
Middle Order: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik (c & wk)
Shubman Gill will have a lot of responsibilities placed on his young shoulders in IPL 2020. With Narine's aggressive style of batting being very high-risk, the Punjab man is at a crucial No. 3 role for KKR, and will be entrusted with the task of anchoring the innings. He has been on the fringes of the Indian team for some time now, and he needs a good IPL to finally become a regular.
Nitish Rana is expected to come in at No. 4 for KKR in IPL 2020. The southpaw has been quietly consistent for the team in recent years in the IPL, and his adaptability to situations will hold KKR in good stead in IPL 2020. He might also have to roll his arm over in a few games, since the team currently has only two IPL-tested spinners.
England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan hasn't had a great IPL career so far, but he will be one of KKR's most important players this year. The left-hander's experience and ability to take on the spinners will take a lot of the pressure off captain Dinesh Karthik, and his excellent form in the limited-overs formats is another encouraging sign.
There have been calls that Karthik should come higher up the order, but he will need to make a sacrifice and play the finisher's role for KKR in IPL 2020. The Tamil Nadu man will have one eye on India's squad for the T20 World Cup, and he will need to lead his team from the front to truly make an impact on the selectors' minds. Unsurprisingly, he will don the keeping gloves for the team in IPL 2020.
All-rounders: Andre Russell, Pat Cummins
2-time MVP award winner Andre Russell will be KKR's main all-rounder in IPL 2020. The big West Indian has bailed the team out of countless impossible situations, and like Karthik, he has been asked to come up the order by experts. But KKR's lack of depth in the middle order, couple with where his strengths lie, make him perfect for the No. 7 role.
It is a bit of a stretch to call Pat Cummins a proper all-rounder, but KKR CEO Venky Mysore recently hailed the Australian's prowess with the bat. The pacer became the most expensive overseas buy in the IPL 2020 auction, and will be KKR's most important bowler. He also takes up the final overseas slot in KKR's playing XI for IPL 2020.
Bowlers: Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna
Young Indian pacer Kamlesh Nagarkoti has been hyped majorly by experts and former cricketers, but hasn't gotten a chance to show off his wares owing to injuries. His express pace, incredible fielding and handiness with the bat will probably get him a slot above Shivam Mavi and Sandeep Warrier.
Kuldeep Yadav had a horrific IPL 2019, and he will be keen on turning things around in the spin-friendly UAE conditions. With only 2 full-time spinners in the XI, the left-arm wrist-spinner will need to be at his best.
Young Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna takes up the final spot in KKR's playing XI for IPL 2020. It is a toss-up between him and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, but the former will probably get the nod due to his IPL experience and his counterpart's lack thereof. He hits the deck hard and generates good pace, and could finally set his indifferent record straight in IPL 2020.
KKR's Predicted Playing XI for IPL 2020:
Sunil Narine, Rahul Tripathi, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik (c & wk), Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna
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