Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is one of the most successful and popular teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise, owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, has won the IPL title twice, in 2012 and 2014. KKR is known for its passionate fan base. Its iconic purple and gold jersey, and its catchy anthem “Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo” (Do, Fight, Win).
As the IPL 2024 auction approaches, KKR has announced its list of retained and released players. The team has decided to keep 13 players from the previous season, while letting go of 12 players.
Here are some of the reasons behind KKR’s choices:
Why Kolkata Knight Riders Retained 13 players to the IPL 2024?
They wanted to keep their core group of players intact. They have performed well and have experience and talent in the IPL. KKR have a good rapport and chemistry with the team management and the captain.
The team have a specific role and skill set that suits the team’s plans and strategy. Kolkata Knight Riders have a reasonable price and value in the market.
Some of the other examples of the retained players are:
Shreyas Iyer
The star batsman was acquired by KKR in a mid-season transfer from Delhi Capitals in 2023. He proved to be a valuable addition to the team, scoring 312 runs in 10 matches at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 142. He also captained the team in the absence of Eoin Morgan, who was injured. KKR has decided to retain Iyer as their first-choice opener and a potential future leader.
Rinku Singh
The young left-hander was one of the surprise performers for KKR in 2023. He scored 211 runs in 9 matches at an average of 30 and a strike rate of 136. He also played some crucial knocks in the middle order, such as his 45 off 25 balls against Mumbai Indians. KKR has retained Rinku as a reliable finisher and a backup option for the top order.
Jason Roy
The England opener was bought by KKR for 5.25 crores in the 2023 auction. He did not get many opportunities to play, as he was benched for most of the season. However, he impressed in the few chances he got, scoring 131 runs in 4 matches at an average of 33 and a strike rate of 156. He also smashed a match-winning 78 off 42 balls against Rajasthan Royals. KKR has retained Roy as a backup opener and a power-hitter.
Sunil Narine
He is the senior spinner and the all-rounder of the team. Narine took 12 wickets and scored 144 runs in 14 matches in 2023. He is one of the most economical and versatile bowlers in the IPL.
Andre Russell
He is the power-hitter and the pace bowler of the team. Andre scored 163 runs and took 9 wickets in 10 matches in 2023. He is one of the most destructive and impactful players in the IPL.
Kolkata Knight Riders Retained Players
| Shreyas Iyer (C) | Andre Russell |
| Anukul Roy | Harshit Rana |
| Jason Roy | Nitish Rana |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Rinku Singh |
| Sunil Narine | Suyash Sharma |
| Vaibhav Arora | Varun Chakaravarthy |
| Venkatesh Iyer |
Why KKR Released 12 Players to the IPL 2024 Auction?
Kolkata Knight Riders wanted to make some changes in their squad and create more space in their purse.
Some of the possible reasons for releasing these players are:
Aarya Desai
The KKR bought the uncapped all-rounder for 20 lakhs in the 2023 auction. He did not play a single match for the team. He was sidelined by injuries and lack of form. KKR has released Desai as he did not fit into their plans and strategy.
David Wiese
The KKR bought the South African all-rounder for 1.5 crores in the 2023 auction. He played only 2 matches for the team, scoring 18 runs and taking 1 wicket. He was expensive with the ball, conceding 10.75 runs per over. KKR has released Wiese as he did not perform well and did not justify his price tag.
Johnson Charles
The KKR bought the West Indian wicket-keeper batsman for 50 lakhs in the 2023 auction. He played only 1 match for the team, scoring 9 runs and taking 1 catch. He was dropped after his poor performance and did not get another chance. KKR has released Charles as he did not contribute much and did not suit their combination.
Kulwant Khejroliya
The KKR bought the left-arm pacer for 20 lakhs in the 2023 auction. He played only 1 match for the team, taking 1 wicket and conceding 36 runs in 4 overs. He was expensive and inconsistent with the ball and did not impress the team management. KKR has released Khejroliya as he did not perform well and did not offer much variety.
Litton Das
The KKR bought the Bangladesh wicket-keeper batsman for 75 lakhs in the 2023 auction. He played only 2 matches for the team, scoring 16 runs and taking 2 catches. He was out of form and out of touch and did not make an impact. KKR has released Das as he did not score runs and did not add value to the team.
Lockie Ferguson
The KKR bought the New Zealand pacer for 1.6 crores in the 2023 auction. He played 5 matches for the team, taking 6 wickets and conceding 8.4 runs per over. He was erratic and injury-prone and did not live up to his reputation. KKR has released Ferguson as he did not deliver and did not fit into their bowling attack.
Mandeep Singh
The KKR bought the Indian batsman for 1.4 crores in the 2023 auction. He played 6 matches for the team, scoring 89 runs at an average of 15 and a strike rate of 118. He was out of form and out of place and did not cement his spot in the middle order. KKR has released Mandeep as he did not score runs and did not offer much flexibility.
N. Jagadeesan
The KKR bought the Indian wicket-keeper batsman for 20 lakhs in the 2023 auction. He did not play a single match for the team, as he was behind Dinesh Karthik and Litton Das in the pecking order. KKR has released Jagadeesan as he did not get a chance and did not have a role in the team.
Shakib Al Hasan
The KKR bought the Bangladesh all-rounder for 3.2 crores in the 2023 auction. He played 7 matches for the team, scoring 66 runs and taking 5 wickets. He was underwhelming and ineffective, and did not justify his reputation. KKR has released Shakib as he did not perform well and did not balance the team.
Shardul Thakur
The KKR bought the Indian pacer for 2.6 crores in the 2023 auction. He played 8 matches for the team, taking 9 wickets and conceding 9.5 runs per over. He was inconsistent and expensive and did not bowl well at the death. KKR has released Thakur as he did not bowl well and did not offer much control.
Tim Southee
The KKR bought the New Zealand pacer for 3 crores in the 2023 auction. He played 4 matches for the team, taking 3 wickets and conceding 9.75 runs per over. He was ineffective and costly and did not swing the ball as expected. KKR has released Southee as he did not bowl well and did not suit the conditions.
Umesh Yadav
The KKR bought Yadav for 1 crore in the 2023 auction. He played 3 matches for the team, taking 2 wickets and conceding 11.33 runs per over. He was wayward and leaky, and did not bowl with pace or accuracy. KKR has released Umesh as he did not bowl well and did not offer much variation.
Kolkata Knight Riders Released Players
| Kulwant Khejroliya | Aarya Desai |
| David Wiese | Johnson Charles |
| Litton Das | Lockie Ferguson |
| Shardul Thakur | Tim Southee |
| Mandeep Singh | N Jagadeesan |
| Shakib Al Hasan | Umesh Yadav |
Google Web Story
Kolkata Knight Riders Staff and Coach for IPL 2024 Season
- KKR has retained its staff and coach for the IPL 2024 season.
- The team is led by Eoin Morgan, the England World Cup-winning captain, who has been with the franchise since 2020.
- The team’s coached is Brendon McCullum, the former New Zealand captain and KKR legend, who has been with the franchise since 2019.
- The team also has Abhishek Nayaras the assistant coach
- Kyle Mills as the bowling coach
- David Husseyas the mentor
- James Foster as the fielding coach
Conclusion
Kolkata Knight Riders retained 13 players and released 12 players ahead of IPL 2024 auction. So, MI have 12 available slots.
KKR has made some bold and smart decisions in retaining and releasing players for the IPL 2024 auction. The team has retained its core group of players, who have performed well and have experience and talent.
The team has also released some of its underperforming and overpriced players, who have not contributed much and have not fit into.
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