3 Players each team might retain if mega auction happens in IPL 2021

4. Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR have historically been a team that have taken some big calls ahead of almost every mega auction. Considering how inconsistently the team has played over the past 2 editions, one can’t help but wonder if some big changes are lined up for the next season as well.

That said, the team does seem to have identified a few long-term players; Shubman Gill is one of them. Midway through the 2019 season, the Fazilka-born batsman was drafted into the team’s top-order and has been playing at that position since then. His tally reads a promising 811 runs from 37 games at an SR of 123.62. Should he be able to improve that strike rate, Gill looks to be a KKR player in for the long haul.

The Knight Riders’ incumbent captain, Eoin Morgan, should also feature on the retention list. It’s not as easy to evaluate exactly how well/bad a player has performed from just one season’s worth of performances. What works in Morgan’s favor, though, is his reputation as one of the finest white-ball captains actively playing the game. Additionally, he is known to share an excellent camaraderie with head coach Brendon McCullum. A slightly doubtful call, but if Morgan is able to get the KKR team in proper shape, his retention seems almost inevitable.

Sunil Narine barely edges past some other close contenders to grab on to the third spot. A parameter that is somewhat unique to the KKR franchise is its loyalty towards players. And given how actively the Knight Club has worked towards helping Sunil with his reported actions; not to mention, his presence in KKR’s sister franchise, Trinibago Knight Riders (TKR), it does seem like the team will want to stick around with their marquee player for slightly longer.

Stats-wise, too, Narine has repaid KKR’s faith towards him, picking up 32 wickets at 7.85 rpo, while also scoring quick runs with the bat as a pinch-hitter (Strike Rate of 155.38).

Alternate RTM options: Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik, Shivam Mavi