IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Players Kolkata Knight Riders Can Target

Kolkata Knight Riders will be one of the teams looking forward to the IPL 2023 auction. The auction will be held in Kochi on December 16 with several players going under the hammer. Each of the 10 teams will by then figure out exactly the players they would want in their respective team.

In addition to their remaining purse, each team will be given an additional five crores to spend this year. As per a BCCI official, the overall purse will be between 90-95 crores.

The teams have been asked to submit the list of players the franchises are willing to release by November 15 by the BCCI. All the teams are expected to release the list of extra or unused players so that they can go into the IPL 2023 auction looking to fill the gaps.

After reaching the final in 2021, Kolkata Knight Riders under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer finished seventh in IPL 2022. They were in with a chance till the last game they played against Lucknow Super Giants. A narrow defeat by just two runs meant that the team could not make the final four.

KKR are expected to release the likes of Aaron Finch, Mohammad Nabi and Chamika Karunatarne among a few others. While Nabi and Karunaratne did not play a single game for the franchise last year, Finch scored just 86 runs in five games at an average of 17.20.

Under a new captain, the team is looking to scale new heights and hence the upcoming auction will be an important one to rebuild the team. In this article, we take a look at three players KKR can target in the IPL 2023 auction.

IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Players Kolkata Knight Riders Can Target

1) Alex Hales

KKR needs an attacking overseas opener and they will eye up Alex Hales. Kolkata roped in Alex Hales in the last auction but the England opener had opted out citing reasons of bubble fatigue. The Knight Riders then managed to rope in Aaron Finch but he did not have a good season with the Knights.

Fresh off a memorable T20 World Cup campaign, Kolkata would surely look to get him if Hales is available for selection. He has traveled around the world playing T20 cricket and so far in the IPL has played just six matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: In Terms Of Giving An Opportunity To A Young Player To Go Overseas And Have A Crack, Then Why Not? – Anil Kumble

2) Shardul Thakur

Shardul is one of the five players Delhi Capitals is expected to release. He did not have a good IPL in 2022 as he took 15 wickets in 14 games at an extremely expensive economy of 9.79. With the bat, he managed to score a total of 120 runs through the season with an average of 15 and a strike rate of 137.93.

With his all-round ability, Thakur will be on the radar of many franchises and KKR too should go for him. He has been often referred to as the man with the golden arm given his knack for picking up wickets. With the bat, he is more than useful. Some best knocks of his short IPL career have come with him donning the CSK jersey.

3) Ravindra Jadeja

There are reports of Ravindra Jadeja parting ways with Chennai Super Kings. The franchise finished ninth in IPL 2022 with Jadeja leading them in the first half of the campaign. Under him, CSK won just one game. The rest of the three wins CSK came under MS Dhoni who was reappointed as captain midway through the season.

The reports of Jadeja leaving CSK are not confirmed yet. However, if it eventually happens, KKR should ideally go all-out behind roping him in. He is a multi-dimensional cricketer and will be an ideal foil to Sunil Narine. He will be a regular feature in the XI given that he is an Indian player and someone won whom the team can count on.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: “If This Was India’s Best Lot, Then How Is MS Dhoni Out Of It’ – Salman Butt On Indian Team’s Fitness