IPL Auctions 2018: Players that every team should target

Kolkata Knight Riders - Shikhar Dhawan

Players retained: Andre Russell, Sunil Narine

SRH preferred David Warner over Shikhar Dhawan

Rumors were rife that KKR were going to let go of Gautam Gambhir ahead of the auction. The Kolkata based outfit went with a rather uncanny plan and retained the likes of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine.

Both these players have been inconsistent in the past couple of seasons. Russel is serving a suspension for his doping scandal and hence has barely played competitive cricket.

Ahead of the auctions, KKR have no good batsman to boast of. Russell and Narine are pinch-hitters at best. KKR would obviously need the services of a player who can anchor the innings while playing in the top-order.

Shikhar Dhawan will be a great addition to the team. Dhawan’s former team SRH did not retain him and that means Dhawan would be available in the auctions now. The man from Delhi has been in excellent form for the past couple of years.

Dhawan seems to have worked on the technical aspects of his game and is a threat in the shortest format of the game. His off-side shots are strong and he can take the game away from the opposition in the first six overs itself.

The pitch at Eden Gardens has been re-laid and the fast track will aid Dhawan’s attacking game. He can be the batsman around whom the entire batting order can be arranged for KKR.