Kolkata Knight Riders started with a bang on the opening day of the IPL mega auction picking up Pat Cummins and Shreyas Iyer but faded into a whimper investing in several little known players who provide no guarantee of success. It was only in the final round that some sense prevailed on the think-tank as they recruited some reputable foreigners in Tim Southee and Alex Hales to restore sanity in the ranks.
If investing in youth was on their minds, Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore and his brigade did a commendable job, but when you compare the squad with Chennai Super Kings or Mumbai Indians, the list of almost anonymous players could make their supporters shrink in despair.
The franchise bought uncapped players in batsmen Ramesh Kumar, Abhijeet Tomar and Pratham Singh besides bowlers Rasikh Salam, Ashok Sharma and all-rounder Anukul Roy. The Knight Riders’ talent hunters could have noticed some extraordinary spark in their abilities but to expect them to flourish from this season itself would be demanding too much.
Why they didn’t bid for any of the U-19 World Cup-winning members could haunt them in the long run. Players like batsman Yash Dhull, all-rounder Raj Angad Bawa and quick bowler Rajvardhan Hangargekar didn’t prove to be too expensive for the franchises.
The onus was on adding Indian players, especially quality all-rounders, though their supply wasn’t in abundance. With most of the franchises, except for Mumbai Indians, making aggressive additions from the outset, those adopting a wait-and-watch policy were in for a surprise.
Snapping up Ajinkya Rahane for Rs 1 crore was a big achievement for the Knights considering the batter’s experience and adaptability, though his current form remains a concern.
The former India Test vice-captain can provide the stability in the middle-order and hang in there if the situation so demands. The same couldn’t be said of Rinku Singh, who came rather cheaply at Rs 55 lakh. But what spurred them to add the batter is unknown. Having been part of the franchise for three years from 2018, he hardly made his presence felt in the eight matches he has played till date. Perhaps he will need some divine intervention to transform his batting this time.
The side has a total of seven overseas players, including all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne of Sri Lanka, bought for Rs 50 lakh. The medium pacer hardly showed much promise in the 16 T20Is for his country and how he fares under pressure is a matter of conjecture.
The Knight Riders needed a reputed wicketkeeper, though Sheldon Jackson had been confirmed on Day I of the auction. First, they bought Baba Indrajith of Tamil Nadu, who has been inconsistent with the bat. Realising more skilful hands were needed, they pocketed Sam Billings for Rs 2 crore when they could
have got hold of Matthew Wade, who was ultimately bought for Rs 2.4 crore by Gujarat Titans.
The Knights also roped in Umesh Yadav at his base price after the pacer had gone unsold in the initial round. The veteran wasn’t a bad bargain though his effectiveness in the shortest format could invite a debate.
The middle-order will continue to bother the Knights along with uncertainty over enough big hitters down the order to utilise the slog overs. With Andre Russell’s fitness a concern, the absence of key back-ups could bother them in case the West Indies all-rounder is unavailable.
The Knight Riders did break the bank in their bid to recruit Cummins and Iyer but injudicious and restricted spending has resulted in the two-time champions failing to plug the holes which were left wide open after the opening day.
How head coach Brendon McCullum and his support staff handles the resources will decide their fortunes in the coming editions.
