Since Dwayne Bravo took over the Kolkata Knight Riders as their new mentor for the upcoming IPL season of 2025, he can anticipate many changes in the KKR team.
Also, this time around the mega-auctions are back and hence every team would only retain a small bunch of their players and would be targeting players in the auction.
For the defending champions, this seemed a pretty tough job, as they have so many quality players who deck up their team. Though the likes of Skipper Shreyas Iyer, KKR’s stunning rising talent Rinku Singh and last year’s highest wicket-taker among pacers, Harshit Rana might be retained.
However, what seems persistent is the two Windies all-rounders, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine might be the two foreign players who can be retained ahead of the mega-auction.
Players Kolkata Knight Riders might target in the mega-auction under Dwayne Bravo:
5. Phil Salt
The English t20 star who was also seen captaining the English T20I side against Aussies, has been their key player in T20s and also their best-ranked batter. Salt had an exemplary season with KKR last season as they won the title.
Though there are not many chances of him being retained among the two foreign players, Salt might be key to the KKR management and they might be going after him with all the might.
4. Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Another major opening star with a similar role as a wicket-keeper batter, the in-form stunning Afghanistan opener might be the go-to option for KKR, if they cannot include the likes of Salt. Gurbaz would be their next man to enter an equally key role alongside Sunil Narine as the opening pair.
3. Nandre Burger
KKR under Gambhir startled all with their surprise pick of Mitchell Starc for a whopping worth of 24.75 crores an all-time record in the IPL. This move didn’t go wrong for the Knight Riders as despite early struggles Starc came back strongly in the knockouts as he was one of the key players in their title win.
However, retaining a player with such a whopping net worth doesn’t seem likely, as Starc might not even star in the IPL further, as Protea’s lanky left-arm pacer Nandre Burger might be a deputy who can be brought in to explore their options with the new ball.
2. Tushar Deshpande
Another CSK prodigy, a house full of talent, the Chennai Super Kings have handed many ace players to the Indian team. Deshpande is one of the rising stars of India, as he was CSK’s highest wicket-taker last season and starred both with the new as well as the old ball.
Tushar plays for Mumbai in the domestic circle and has had many promising seasons their in as well. With Bravo having hand-picked him for his unique ability to bowl slowers as well as yorkers and wide ball yorkers, he can be a target for the ex-Chennai veteran.
1. Nehal Wadhera
Surprised? This name surprises many as the player has not been one of the players with the finest of forms, and hence he would not be retained by the Mumbai Indians. Having shown what he is capable of in the domestic games as well as the Mumbai Indians, he can be an explosive middle-order batting option.
Wadhera is a genuine player of both pace and spin and is often known for his aggressive stance on the field. He can be included to strengthen the struggling middle order of the Kolkata Knight Riders.
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