The Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is set to begin its quest for their first Champions League T20 (CLT20) title starting from September 13- October 4. Led by Gautam Gambhir, the two-time IPL champions are one of the favourites for the current edition of the CLT20. Placed in Group A, Kolkata Knight Riders are set to play against Chennai Super Kings, Perth Scorchers, Dolphins and Qualifier 1 in the group stage. Team Composition: The biggest advantage that the Kolkata outfit has is the presence of many top-class all- rounders. The likes of Yusuf Pathan, Ryan ten Doeschate, Jacques Kallis and Andre Russell add a lot of weight to the side. In the batting department, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey and Suryakumar Yadav were in fine form in IPL 2014. The Indian trio firing in unison will do wonders for Gautam Gambhir’s side. The skipper himself should vintage class in the Indian leg of IPL 7. The bowling has too has a lot of depth with Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav, Patrick Cummins and R Vinay Kumar as frontline pacers. The spin department too has a couple of highly-reliable spin options. While Piyush Chawla is an effective wicket-taking option, Sunil Narine is one of the best spinners in the world. But the downside of the team is the fact that often Gautam Gambhir has not been able to take full advantage of the resources available. While the pacers have a tendency to be a bit expensive, the batsmen don’t have the most consistent record. The absence of Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib-al- Hasan might also affect the balance of the side. Key Player: Sunil Narine is the trump card of the reigning IPL champions. Even as teams have been cautious against the West Indian spinner, he has been effective in controlling the run-rate. His four overs will often prove to be the difference in KKR’s fortunes. Predictions: On paper, the Kolkata outfit is as good as any T20 side in the world. It won’t be surprising if the side indeed manages to carry forward their IPL form and go the distance in this year’s tournament. Squad: Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir, Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Piyush Chawla, Ranganath Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Sunil Narine, Jacques Kallis, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Morne Morkel, Patrick Cummins, Andre Russell.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:40:27 +0000
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