We take a look at three uncapped talents in the KKR ranks amongst whom one can be expected to be retained for the next season.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) enjoyed a stellar last season in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) where they ended up winning their third title in the tournament’s history. After Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings who have won five titles each, KKR is the next-most successful franchise.
While the KKR team boasts of some incredible star players, they also have a good blend of youth and uncapped players in their roster. Given that teams will need to offload most players for the upcoming IPL 2025 mega-auction, only one uncapped player can be retained by each franchise as per latest developments.
In this article, we take a look at three such talents in the KKR ranks amongst whom one can be expected to be retained for the next season.
Kolkata Knight Riders face a challenging decision in choosing one uncapped player from a pool of talents who either played key roles in their victory or emerged as promising prospects throughout the successful season. Ultimately, the decision will likely come down to three standout players with Angkrish Raghuvanshi being one of them. The choice may be simplified if Harshit features in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka, as that would make him a capped player.
The Knight Riders are keen to retain Raghuvanshi, who has been a standout under the guidance of departing coach Abhishek Nayar. The 19-year-old impressed with a half-century, scoring 54 off 27 balls in his debut innings, and continued to deliver consistently at number three, providing the team with quick starts during the powerplay.
Raghuvanshi’s fearless playing style and diverse shot selection have likely caught the attention of other franchises. The Knight Riders will be eager to avoid sending him to the auction, where they might end up paying far more than the Rs 20 lakh they invested in him last year.
He’s one of the few explosive lower-order batters with pace bowling capability. The 26-year-old was part of the Mumbai Indians squad prior to joining Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 20 lakhs ahead of the IPL 2024 season.
His addition to the lower order gave incredible depth to the KKR batting unit, allowing the top-order batters to play more freely and in an aggressive manner. He had a decent outing for KKR, scoring 125 runs at an average of 31.25 and an explosive strike rate of 201.61.
Apart from his ability to wreak havoc with his willow, he is also a decent medium pacer and an outstanding fielder capable of pulling off extraordinary catches and saves as was evident from his performances in the last season.
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The young fast bowler has made a name for himself by outsmarting numerous batters and winning over cricket fans. His name is certainly in the mix for retention.
Rana, who had a remarkable 2024 season with KKR, claimed 19 wickets and ranked 5th among the top wicket-takers. Whether it was restricting runs during the batting powerplay or taking crucial wickets in the death overs, his contributions were vital to KKR’s success in the IPL 2024.
His standout performance in this prestigious league earned him a spot in the ODI squad for the series against Sri Lanka. However, Rana, who mainly bowled during the death overs, encountered some controversy, including a one-match suspension for his flying kiss celebration directed at SRH’s Mayank Agarwal.
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