IPL Auction 2020: Three players KKR could target

Kolkata Knight Riders faced a lacklustre season in 2019 as they failed to qualify for the playoffs, having won just six out of 14 matches. Problems were many, from the constant failures of bowling attack to the unhealthy dressing room.

KKR heavily depended upon Andre Russel, whether in bowling or batting. The Jamaican secured 510 runs,11 wickets, and was the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker for the team. Robin Uthappa's poor strike-rate of 115 left fans and the management frustrated. The skipper, Dinesh Karthik, failed to replicate his batting and captaincy skills. All-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, KKR's significant buy in the 2019 auction, disappointed as well.

KKR had the worst bowling average of 42 runs per wicket. Prasidh Krishna and Lockie Ferguson were expensive and unable to pick-up wickets. In addition to that, the spin-trio of Narine, Kuldeep, and Chawla failed to replicate the previous season's performances.

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Ahead of the 2019 auctions, KKR released several players, which include their long-time representatives Lynn, Chawla, and Uthappa. KKR made a few vital replacements to their coaching department, as well. They brought in Brendon McCullum and Kyle Mills as head coach and bowling coach, respectively. They also appointed David Hussey as the chief mentor.

With 36 crores going into the auction, KKR will try to find suitable replacements for the released players. This article features three players KKR should target in the upcoming auction.

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#3 Eoin Morgan

Eoin Morgan previously represented KKR for three seasons.

The World Cup-winning skipper does not have impressive records in the IPL. He scored 854 runs in 54 matches at an average of 21.35. In recent memory, Morgan played a few game-changing innings, which makes him a guaranteed big buy in the upcoming auction.

The left-handed batsman also notched up 371 runs in 11 matches at an average and a strike-rate of 41.22 and 111.07, respectively in the 2019 World Cup. In the five-match T20 series against New Zealand, he scored 192 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 193.93.

Morgan's signing would make an ideal replacement for Uthappa at the No.3 position. His addition can add intensity and more destructiveness to KKR's batting line-up.

#2 Lendl Simmons

Lendl Simmons

Lendl Simmons has valuable experience in playing IPL. With a century to his name, the opener scored 1079 runs at an average of 39.96. Simmons' performance of 540 runs in the 2015 IPL triumph came vital for MI. However, the arrival of Jos Buttler saw him frequently warming the bench in subsequent seasons. Unsurprisingly, Simmons was released ahead of the 2018 auctions and has not found a buyer for two years.

In the meantime, Simmons has been performing exceptionally well in the CPL. He represented the Trinbago Knight Riders, a franchise owned by KKR, in 2019, where he scored 430 runs in 11 matches at a strike-rate of 150.34.

Depending on McCullum's advice, the head coach of TKR, the management would look to buy Simmons as the replacement for Chris Lynn. His experience in playing over 230 T20s could be very crucial for KKR.

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#1 Andrew Tye

Tye won the orange cap for scalping 24 wickets in 2018.

Andrew Tye has had an incredible IPL career. He picked up 39 wickets in 26 matches at an astonishing strike-rate of 15.23. The Aussie quick also has a five-wicket haul to his name. After an under-performing season in 2019, Kings XI Punjab decided him release to add a hefty amount to their purse.

KKR lacks a wicket-taking bowler. They had a paltry average of 42 runs per wicket in 2019. The team should consider signing Tye to strengthen their overseas bowling department, which consists of Lockie Ferguson and Harry Gurney. His signing can be a breath-taking one for the management as he can bowl yorkers and change variations, which often troubles the batsman.