Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders are set to kick-start the IPL 2022 proceedings on March 26 when they take on Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The last year's runners-up face a stiff challenge from the four-time champions, who look a robust unit without the likes of Deepak Chahar (injured) and Moeen Ali (unavailable). Also, Ravindra Jadeja will walk out for the toss in place of Dhoni -- an unusual sight for every fan who's been following the league since its inception in 2008. The case of Kolkata is no different.
Shreyas Iyer, who led Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final in 2020, was snapped by KKR for ₹12.25 crore after intense bidding in the recent mega auctions. He was eventually made the captain and the timing couldn't have been better. The right-handed batter has been in phenomenal touch lately. He hit three consecutive fifties in the recent T20 assignment against Sri Lanka and took home player-of-the-series in India's 3-0 rout. The second Iyer, Venkatesh, has also shown glimpses of his all-round prowess in his limited spell with the national team.
IPL 2022, CSK vs KKR Live Cricket Score
While their batting looks solid in presence of both Iyers and Sunil Narine, Kolkata are missing their star Australian pacer Pat Cummins, who will be unavailable for the first five matches due to national commitments. Furthermore, head coach Brendon McCullum has confirmed that New Zealand quick Tim Southee won't be available for the opening game.
Ahead of the blockbuster season opener at the Wankhede, we take a look at the probable playing XI for Kolkata Knight Riders...
{{/usCountry}}Ahead of the blockbuster season opener at the Wankhede, we take a look at the probable playing XI for Kolkata Knight Riders...
{{/usCountry}}Venkatesh Iyer: The left-handed batter had a breakthrough season last year where he scored 370 runs in 10 games at an average of 41.11. Venkatesh has shown his batting prowess while opening the innings and he'll be saddled with extra responsibility in Shubman Gill's absence. He's emerged as a brilliant all-rounder pick with 10 wickets in the 2021-22 season across T20s. He had scored four fifties in the previous season. Fans expect a repeat as the league returns to India!
Ajinkya Rahane: He may have lost his place in the Test set-up but Rahane has plenty of international and IPL experience under his belt. The batter from Mumbai is also the only KKR player from the current squad -- apart from Shreyas -- to have captained in the T20 league. Alex Hales has withdrawn from the tournament and Aaron Finch will join the team late. Rahane could be the perfect opener in given circumstances, especially when he's been playing in Mumbai conditions for many years.
Shreyas Iyer: He himself has expressed his love for the No. 3 spot in the Indian team and Shreyas could don a similar role for Kolkata as well. Along with his ability to score runs at a brisk rate, the KKR captain is known for building his innings, which could be handy in middle overs. The former Delhi Capitals player had missed eight matches last season due to a shoulder injury and the talented batter will be raring to go for Kolkata.
Nitish Rana: He is among the reliable batters in the middle overs in the league. Rana, who has also plied his trade for Mumbai Indians before becoming a vital part of the Kolkata set-up, comes with a strike rate of 130-plus, which is a result of his ability to clear the boundary when needed. Last season, he had scored 383 runs in 17 games with highest score of 80 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Sam Billings: The English player has played Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils in the past and he's got a strike rate of 131.64 in T20 cricket. He's the first-choice wicketkeeper in the Kolkata squad but the franchise can also try Sheldon Jackson if they want to try an Indian in the role.
Andre Russell: You can't keep "Dre Russ" and his towering sixes out of KKR's starting eleven. The West Indies power-hitter walks into the squad with a reputation of sending bowlers to the cleaners. With a staggering strike rate of 178.57, Russell can smoke sixes for fun and contribute with the ball as well. He can light up Wankhede with some fireworks.
Sunil Narine: The bowling all-rounder will be key to Kolkata's hopes of going one better than their runners-up finish last year. He was retained by the franchise for his ability to chip in with quick runs and leave his mark with some spin. A veteran of almost 400 T20 games, Narine is just 74 runs short of completing 3000 runs in the format. The West Indian has also got 429 plucks under his belt. Last season, he picked up 16 wickets including a four-fer against Virat Kohli's RCB in the Eliminator.
Chamika Karunaratne: Rasikh Salam, 21, could be a part of the playing XI but Karunaratne fits in as the fourth overseas pick. The 25-year-old from Sri Lanka also played against India in the recent T20I assignment. Sanju Samson was his only scalp in two T20Is.
Shivam Mavi: The 23-year-old Indian headed back to Kolkata for a hefty sum of ₹7.25 crore and he's someone who can regularly clock 140 kmph. Mavi has got an impressive economy of 6.46 in the middle overs and he could play a key role to derail a formidable batting attack like Chennai. Mavi last year picked up nine wickets in nine games including a four-fer versus Rajasthan Royals.
Varun Chakravarthy: He's been one of the best bowlers in the competition. The tweaker was the sixth-highest wicket-taker last season with 18 wickets in 17 matches. Also, the wrist-spinner has got an economy of 6.58, which helped him fetch ₹8 crore when the franchise named its retention comprising four players.
Umesh Yadav: The seasoned pacer is expected to lead the fast bowling pack in Tim Southee's absence. His ability to swing the ball and take wickets makes him the ideal candidate to present KKR with early breakthroughs. Umesh was also a part of Kolkata's IPL triumph in 2014. He was reunited with the franchise after being picked for ₹2 crore in the mega auctions.
KKR Predicted XI against CSK: 1 Venkatesh Iyer, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Sam Billings (wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Shivam Mavi 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Umesh Yadav