The Kolkata Knight Riders had a disappointing season in IPL 2022, finishing in eighth place. They are currently in trouble before the auction as they only have 14 players on the team and have a budget of INR 7.05 crores.
Openers are a key factor in the success of any team in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have consistently performed well in the IPL and are one of the most successful teams in the tournament. As they look to build on their success in the upcoming season, the KKR should be targeting experienced openers who can set the tone for the team’s batting lineup.
KKR released 16 players, including several opening alternatives from last season. Pat Cummins, Alex Hales, and Sam Billings, three of their top players, will miss the IPL 2023 due to personal reasons.
With not much money left in their IPL 2023 auction, they must face the tough task of assembling a powerful KKR squad. With their earlier trade ahead of the IPL 2023 auction, KKR has strengthened its bowling lineup. KKR traded in Shardul Thakur and Lockie Ferguson, and now they are in need of a top player who can open for them. Let’s take a look at the top 3-star openers which can be targeted during IPL 2023 auction.
Chris Lynn
The ideal explosive opener for KKR is one who can get them off to fast starts at the top of the order. Chris Lynn, a former KKR player, maybe the person who can fill the position’s need.
He has regularly scored for KKR whenever he has played. Chris Lynn played 40 games for KKR in the past, scoring 1274 runs. Among them are 10 fifties with a strike rate of more than 140. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Chris Lynn will team up for Kolkata in the opening match in a destructive tandem. A starting price of Rs. 2 crores has been set aside for the right-handed batter. He might be a good purchase for KKR.
Mayank Agarwal
The KKR would prefer a dependable and seasoned opener who can both play offensively and anchor the innings when necessary. They can target Mayank Agarwal in the IPL 2023 auction. Mayank has opened the innings for PBKS in past seasons and he performed really well. He can be a dependable opener which KKR is searching for.
Srikar Bharat
We examined the KKR current setup in advance for the IPL 2023 auction, and we noticed that in addition to their issues with the top order, Kolkata Knight Riders have also had issues with their wicket-keeping.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, an Afghan wicketkeeper and batsman, has been traded by the team but he is not that dependable. Srikar Bharat is a talented wicket-keeper batsman who can also open the inning.
In 2021, he made his RCB debut, and he played well. Srikar has amassed 199 runs overall in 10 innings at a strike rate of 122.09 and an average of 28.4. He might be a valuable addition to KKR in the future game.
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