Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are the new chokers of IPL! You might think this is a bit exaggerated, but do yourself a favor and go through the last five IPL seasons. If there was any team that had been in ‘so close yet so far’ situations more often than not, then it has to be the men in purple and gold. Don’t have time for that? Here you go…. help yourselves.

King Khan’s team is always improving as the numbers above show, but they lack that killer punch. Even in 2021, they were down and out. And within a span of a few months, they shrugged off the defeats and marched into the finals only to lose their heads when it mattered the most. Yes, T20 can be ruthless at times and the entire fate of your campaign sometimes hinges on the final over. In KKR, you have a team that is often wanting in pressure-cooker situations. There are numerous such scenarios, most etching is, of course, 2021 final where they were well on to their way to the third title before losing the plot.

But, let bygones be bygones. This is 2022, IPL is going through a makeover, high time KKR goes through its own makeover, and what better opportunity than the mega auctions. Before I begin this one, let’s not forget that KKR has INR 48 crore in their purse with overseas slots stretching up to six players. I can’t help myself but fill all of them. We have picked five batters (one wicketkeeper who doubles up as an opener), four middle-order batters, two all-rounders, and three bowlers.

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List of players KKR can go for this IPL auction 2022

Dewald Brevis (Middle Order): Catch’em young! Brevis is just 18 and yet he has the temperament to bat at number three for KKR. Although it may sound a bit radical, check out his scores at the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2022: 138, 6, 97, 96, 104, 65 and 50.  Numbers speak for ‘Baby AB.’ Yes, he doesn’t have the experience of playing senior cricket, but then you wouldn’t get a talent like him for INR 20 Lakh! KKR just needs to give him the kind of freehand they had given to Venkatesh Iyer and he could do wonders. For years, KKR had been served well by South Africans(Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher). We are sure they won’t be disappointed.

Shimron Hetmyer (Middle-Order): After Shreyas Iyer at four, KKR needs someone to play the perfect foil to the captain. ‘Hettie’, as he is known in the circle, has quite a rapport with Iyer. Both have been in the middle together several times while playing for the Capitals. In Iyer and Hetmyer, KKR will have a solid middle-order that can take over the job of building the platform to launch the counter at the fag end. Just like any other heavy hitter, Hetmyer can blow hot, blow cold. A look through his recent scores tells you how inconsistent he can be which raises the question of his price tag(Rs 1.5 Cr).

Shahrukh Khan (Middle order): How can KKR ignore Shahrukh Khan? Well, jokes apart, Shahrukh Khan has earned the right to walk into any side (as a finisher) purely on his skills rather than his name. His strike rate of 142 is not for nothing. His last-ball six in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is the stuff of legends. And he continued that form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he accounted for scores of 42, 79, 32 and 66. Maybe that is the reason he hiked his price tag to INR 40 Lakh.

Liam Livingstone (All-Rounder): Livingstone belongs to the next generation of English cricketers who wouldn’t mind being a little unorthodox, however, he hardly looks so when he gets going. He is the most dominating batter in world cricket where and can quickly get into your skin. He takes long strides and sometimes steps out to fast bowlers (so demoralizing!). He can be the third change to Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine with his handy spin bowling. A big hitter who would bat at six just ahead of the big fellow Andre Russell.