IPL 2015: Predicted Kolkata Knight Riders XI

Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending IPL champions, had a pretty decent outing at the auctions this year. While the entire cricketing world was busy discerning the logic behind their humongous investment of Rs 2.4 crore on little known KC Cariappa, Venky Mysore & co. continued to silently enrich their artillery with a roster of Indian domestic talents in addition to James Neesham and Brad Hogg.However, with Australian sensation Chris Lynn and New Zealander Neesham being sidelined from the tournament due to injury, the Shahrukh Khan-owned outfit decided to seek possible replacements in former South African skipper Johan Botha and Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood.Here’s their predicted XI for this year’s IPL:

#1 Gautam Gambhir

As the captain of a reorganized KKR team, Gautam Gambhir had been entrusted, in 2011, with the duty of turning around the fortunes for the side that had been a frequent name in the bottom three for the first 3 seasons. The Delhi lad went on to answer the faith shown in him by winning the trophy not once, but twice – in 2012 and 2014.

As an opener, Gambhir boasts about the ideal spot to lead from the front – a responsibility that he performed consistently in 2012. Although the India-discard hasn’t been among the runs for a while now, it would be too imprudent to write him off especially in the format where he has flourished so well.

Being a southpaw and opening the innings with the aggressive right-hander Robin Uthappa adds to his advantage as he looks forward to maneuver the gaps and build the innings responsibly without having to bother about the run-rate. He would be keen to better his previous season’s tally of 335 runs from 16 matches and use this platform as a desperate attempt to return to the national team.

#2 Robin Uthappa

The Karnataka wicket-keeper literally hit gold in purple-and-gold last year when he smashed 5 half-centuries on his way to 660 runs in 16 matches at an average of 44.00 and a strike-rate of 137.78.

As a right-hand batsman, Robin Uthappa enjoys partnering southpaw Gambhir at the top of the innings since it provides him with more opportunities to unsettle the bowlers right from the start. Intrepid and calculative, Uthappa’s strength lies in scoring in boundaries while chipping in cheeky singles in between.

He is expected to don the gloves behind the wicket for the entire season, although Saurashtra glovesman Sheldon Jackson offers a possible substitute. However, the scarcity of openers in the squad and Uthappa’s proven batsmanship imply that Jackson may have to warm the benches for quite a while.

#3 Manish Pandey

The middle-order right-hander known for his expansive strokeplay became the first Indian to hit a century in the IPL when he rocketed to an unbeaten 114 for the Bengaluru outfit against Deccan Chargers in 2009. He was lopped up by Pune Warriors in 2011 before the franchisee dissolved and KKR made a value-for-money buy in 2014.

In the final against Kings XI Punjab, Manish Pandey steered his team to victory with a 50-ball 94 in pressure-cooker circumstances. He also scored 729 runs with three centuries and three fifties as he helped Karnataka to the title in the last Ranji season.

As a solid No. 3 batsman who can consolidate the innings if the openers return cheaply, Pandey offers a dependable option in the line-up before a string of pinch-hitters. He is an irreplaceable member of the XI and should be persisted with even if he seems out of form.

#4 Yusuf Pathan

Yusuf Pathan has been a disappointment ever since he joined the Kolkata outfit from Rajasthan Royals. His lack of calculation and knack of swinging his bat at every delivery has cost his side on more than a few occasions. An odd fifty here and a quick 30 there hardly justifies the amount KKR has been spending on him.

Last year, the Baroda maverick lit up hopes when he fired 72 runs off 22 balls, scoring the fastest IPL fifty ever in 15 balls powering KKR to the second spot so that they could get two chances at the final. That, however, was his only 50+ score in 15 games as he never justified his promise again.

A handy option of right-arm off-spin, in addition to the unpredictability factor, makes him keep his place in the team that yearns for other notable alternatives.

#5 Ryan ten Doeschate

Pundits have always maintained that Holland sensation Ryan ten Doeschate has been underutilized by the Kolkata franchise ever since they bought him in 2011. The hard-hitting three-time ICC Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year, who has grown into an almost cult figure among Essex supporters, has played only 23 matches in four years with the side, 10 of them being in the last year itself.

The finest Associate cricketer in the 2011 World Cup has a highest score of 70* in the IPL that he achieved in 2011. The reason he hasn’t been productive in the past few years is that he comes down to bat too low in the order, when the team needs pinch-hitting more than stability – a fact that is evident from his average of 13.00 and strike-rate of 157.57.

At No.5, Tendo might have enough opportunities this time to showcase his potential and cement his spot in the team.

#6 Andre Russell

An exciting Caribbean allrounder with strong arms and impressive ground fielding, Andre Russell was deemed to be the next big thing in West Indian cricket after his unbeaten 92 against India in a 2011 ODI. He was signed by the Delhi Daredevils in 2012 before moving to Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014.

As one of the bigger hitters in modern day cricket, it is a shame that Russell hasn’t had enough exposure to IPL. Statistics accumulated over 9 matches are barely conclusive about the pedigree of a player who has been regular in his national colors. He will have to fill in the void that will be left by Shakib.

#7 Suryakumar Yadav

Coming in at No.7, Suryakumar Yadav is precisely the kind of lower middle order batsman you would need to finish the innings. Blessed with an excellent artillery of shots, the 22-year-old has the unique ability to absorb pressure and flourish while batting alongside the tail.

With 485 runs at an average of 53.88 in the Ranji Trophy, the Mumbai youngster established his prolific run-getting skills even as he failed to bring in the results as the skipper. In January this year, he decided to step down and hand over the captaincy to Aditya Tare in order to focus on his batting.

Having scored already two tons in the Ranji Trophy, Suryakumar Yadav seems to be in the form of his life, and the onus lies on KKR to make hay while the sun is still shining. His consistent 30+ scores in the previous IPL season will certainly incline the odds in his favor if the likes of Sumit Narwal and Vaibhav Rawal come into consideration.

#8 Morne Morkel

As the youngest cricketer to land a central contract with Cricket Australia, Pat Cummins has had a fairytale ride in his career ever since his first-class debut for New South Wales. Although fairly regular in national colors and an integral part of Sydney Sixers, Cummins has played only a single IPL match.

No wonder, therefore, that the experienced South African paceman Morne Morkel looks favorite to tip the Australian for the No.8 spot. The Purple Cap winner of 2012 scalped 12 in 12 matches last season despite being slightly on the expensive side.

The younger of the Morkel brothers provides an aggressive fast-bowling option right at the beginning when the ball is doing its fair bit and he can reap on the benefit of batsmen being tentative. His arguable batting abilities and death bowling skills are likely to come in handy too. Given his penchant for knocking off important wickets, KKR would regret not including him in the line-up.

#9 KC Cariappa

The trouble begins while selecting two spinners for the playing XI. While the Indian options range from KC Cariappa, Piyush Chawla to Kuldeep Yadav, the last foreigner’s slot remains a three-way battle between Brad Hogg, Sunil Narine and Johan Botha.

It would be meaningless for KKR to bench right-arm orthodox leg-spinner Cariappa for most of the season after buying him for an amount that raised quite a few eyebrows. If he makes the cut, the 20-year-old would have to replace a similar, but more experienced bowler in Piyush Chawla.

Kuldeep Yadav, on the other hand offers an interesting option of left-arm chinaman bowling of the Brad Hogg mould. This leaves KKR with two possible scenarios –

• Play Kuldeep Yadav only if one among Sunil Narine and Johan Botha makes the team. Both the foreigners being off-break bowlers, it would be equally effective to go with a chinaman or vote for a regular leg-spinner like Cariappa and Chawla.
• If Hogg plays, picking Yadav would be a waste of an option, and it clearly comes down to one among the two right-arm offies making it into the XI.

#10 Sunil Narine

Five four-wicket hauls, a five-wicket haul and a hattrick against KXIP in 2013 speak volumes about the quality of spinner Sunil Narine is. There must be no question over the West Indian featuring in the team. In that case, all three Indian spinners come into the fray of getting picked in the XI.

They can also surprise their opponents in a game or two by picking the 44-year-old Brad Hogg who will have to battle it out with South African Johan Botha for the last overseas spot. Botha with is right-arm orthodox off-break is more likely to contain batsmen than Hogg who has a tendency to leak runs with his wrist-spin.

#11 Umesh Yadav

As the sole Indian pace bowling option, Umesh Yadav will have to shoulder a huge responsibility in front of the home crowd. While the conditions are obviously going to be less helpful than in Australia where he picked up 18 wickets from 8 games in the recently concluded World Cup, the pacer’s familiarity with the pitches and home support at the Eden are likely to bolster him into another good showing for the franchise.

The former Delhi Daredevils pacer proved to be an important cog in the KKR line-up last season when he scalped 11 wickets from 12 matches with best figures of 3/13. Spearheading the bowling attack alongside Morne Morkel, Yadav would be looking forward to keep an unerring line and length in addition his already sharp pace.