IPL 2022: Predicted Opening Pair Of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Kolkata Knight Riders bought 21 players in IPL 2022 mega auction in addition to the four players they had retained to complete a 25-member squad. They added some of their old players and missed a few others. Overall it was a pretty balanced squad that they accumulated.

The team has a few specialist players for particular roles. Their only area of concern is that they do not have a good wicket-keeper who has enough experience of playing the IPL. They added Sheldon Jackson (60 lakhs) and Sam Billings (2 Cr) as the specialist wicketkeepers for IPL.

In terms of their opening batsmen, they have a few options available in their favor, Jackson, Billing, Alex Hales, Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Narine and Venkatesh Iyer can all open for the side. The team has enough depth in their batting given they can bat at different positions in the lineup. In this article, we try and figure out the best opening pair for KKR ahead of IPL 2022.

IPL 2022: Predicted Opening Pair Of Kolkata Knight Riders

Venkatesh Iyer

Iyer scored 370 runs from 10 matches in IPL 2021 for KKR. It was largely due to his fireworks at the top of the order that propelled KKR to the IPL final. He scored four fifties in the season including one in the final. KKR would surely give another run to Iyer at the top of the order. He made his international debut for India courtesy of his successful IPL stint and achieved a fair bit of success at the international level.

The southpaw would ideally love to get a 500-plus run season for KKR. With no Shubman Gill in the lineup now, the responsibilities on Iyer batting through will increase.

Alex Hales/Sunil Narine

While Sunil Narine is a guaranteed selection in KKR’s playing XI, Hales might not play all the games due to various parameters. In the games that he plays, the right-hander should open the batting. In games that he does not, the KKR management should send Sunil Narine up the order because that is where he has batted his best. Narine is also closing in on 1000 IPL runs for KKR besides having taken 143 wickets for the franchise.

KKR has a team have been very flexible with players’ roles and responsibilities. They have not stuck to one particular playing XI but have picked them according to the condition and the opposition. Thus while Venkatesh Iyer should be a certainty as one of the openers, the management should switch between Hales and Narine based on conditions and opposition.

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