The two-time IPL champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, haven’t been quite riding on their form from the last edition, where they reached the finals. The tournament isn’t going as per plan when you have to bench two of the four retained players. KKR was one of the teams, along with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/mi-mumbai-indians/">Mumbai Indians</a>, that didn’t have a great mega auction. The Knight Riders couldn’t raise the auction paddle long enough for other deserving players as their hands were tied after they spent a whopping 12.25 crores, almost 39% of the total purse value, on buying their new captain, Shreyas Iyer. And that is where they missed a trick or two, which is also reflected in their performance as they are placed in the bottom half of the points table. As the greats of the game say, 50% of the IPL is won at the auction table, where you identify the gaps in your team and bid for the players who can fill those voids and play as per their designated roles. As we head towards the business end of the Tata IPL 2022, many teams, and especially KKR, would have identified their vulnerable areas and who would be their mitochondria, which could be the powerhouse of the team in the coming seasons. A testimony to KKR’s problems has been the fact that out of the maximum quota of 25 players, 20 of them have played in 12 games. There has not been a single game, where Kolkata played with an unchanged eleven, making the outfit look completely unsettled.

However, there are three players, that KKR can target in the next auction to bridge the gaps in the current squad:

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-591212" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ben-McDermott.jpg" alt="Ben McDermott" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-591212" class="wp-caption-text">Ben McDermott. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)</figcaption>

One of the major problems for KKR has been their opening partnership, where they have experimented with six different combinations only to change them after a few bad games. Apart from missing a fiery opener who can go all guns blazing in the powerplay overs, they also do not have a proper firepower wicket-keeper batter in their squad. KKR have tried three different keepers in the 12 games that they have played. Starting with Sheldon Jackson, then Sam Billings, to their latest experiment, Baba Aparajith. To solve this, the hard-hitting Australian wicket-keeper batter, Ben McDermott, could be a perfect fit for KKR. As the famous saying in Hindi goes, “Ek teer se do nishane”, which roughly translates to, “targeting two solutions with one arrow”. With his massive six-hitting ability in the powerplay overs, Ben McDermott can walk into any playing eleven. Moreover, Ben can also don the gloves behind the wicket for the KKR. McDermott has played 74 matches in the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/bbl-big-bash-league/?page=1">Big Bash League</a>, scoring 2139 runs at an average of 36.88. More than the average, what has grabbed the attention of the cricket pundits is his strike rate of 138.9. In the BBL 2021, Ben McDermott came to the limelight when he scored back-to-back match-winning centuries. One of them came chasing a total of 175 against the Adelaide strikers. Ben was in red-hot form, scoring three fifties and two centuries. He was the highest run-getter in BBL21, which earned him a maiden call-up for the Australian squad. Such a clean striker of the cricket ball would have been a perfect opener and keeper for KKR, as they have been struggling to get consistent scores from their openers in the 15th edition of the Tata IPL. McDermott, along with Venky, could be the perfect left-right combination for KKR to dominate in 2023.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-479370" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Adam-Zampa.jpg" alt="Adam Zampa" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-479370" class="wp-caption-text">Adam Zampa. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>

Leg-spin in T20 cricket is like salt in food. It is such a key ingredient in T20 that without leg spinners, the playing eleven looks just plain and tasteless, just like food without salt. Even in the T20 bowlers’ ranking list, five of the top 10 bowlers are wrist spinners. In this year’s mega auction, KKR were so confident in their spin twins of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy that they didn’t even bid for a full-time spinner. This move has certainly come back to haunt them as both Narine and Chakravarthy have failed to give KKR the much-needed breakthroughs in the middle overs. The number four ranked in the ICC men’s T20 bowlers list can be a game-changer with his leg-breaks. Zampa is very similar to <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-will-break-virat-kohlis-record-of-973-runs-in-10-matches-yuzvendra-chahals-hilarious-comments-on-opening-the-innings/">Yuzvendra Chahal</a> in terms of stature and the way they both bowl, Zamp is a brave leggie who isn’t afraid to give the ball the much-needed flight that allows him to zip around the wicket. The only condition for being a spinner is that one must not be afraid of being hit for a six, and that’s what stands him out from the lot. KKR’s mystery bowler, Chakravarthy, has become history now, and a wrist spinner in the form of Zampa can help them turn things around in their favor. Zampa has featured in 14 IPL matches and picked up 21 wickets, with best figures of 6/19. Moreover, Adam has a stupendous strike rate in the IPL, as he strikes after almost every 13 balls and delivers a wicket ball. The Australian leggie has also been a stalwart for the Melbourne Stars, his BBL franchise, where he has been their highest wicket-taker with 82 wickets. As KKR has been struggling to take wickets in overs between 7 and 14, Adam Zampa, with his wicket-taking abilities in the middle overs, could be the perfect partner in crime for Narine in next year’s IPL for Kolkata.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-376339" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ben-Stokes-2.jpg" alt="Ben Stokes" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-376339" class="wp-caption-text">Ben Stokes. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)</figcaption>

There wouldn’t be a single paddle that wouldn’t go up when the auctioneer displays Ben Stokes’ name on the big screen. A fast-bowling all-rounder is the most sought-after player in any lineup, be it test cricket, one-day or T20 cricket. A fast bowler who can pick crucial wickets and a gritty batter who can smack the leather of the cricket ball always, bring balance to the playing eleven. And KKR has been dying to get the right balance for their squad, as they have tried 20 players out of their quota of 25 players in this season of the Tata IPL. There will undoubtedly be a bidding war if and when Ben Stokes steps foot on the auction block, but KKR must dig up their reserve funds to secure the man who can do the job <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/hes-one-of-the-guys-who-can-do-special-things-tim-southee-in-awe-of-andre-russells-splendid-ipl-2022-form/">Andre Russell</a> has been doing for years. In recent years, KKR has been overly reliant on Russell, and they have struggled to get over the line when he fails to deliver. This gap can be filled by Stokes as he can go bonkers right from the word go. The “Man of the Match” of the 2019 ODI World Cup final is no stranger to playing under pressure and that will further ease the pressure on Shreyas Iyer and Russell, who have been doing the bulk of the scoring for KKR. Scoring over 900 runs in 42 IPL innings, Stokes has already proved his mettle in the Indian premier league. Ben has scored two IPL centuries, striking at a staggering strike rate of 134.5. In the 37 innings that Stokes had the ball in hand, he picked up 28 wickets at a decent economy of 8.56 runs per over. Stokes can also bring his experience into KKR’s lineup and can guide the young captain Shreyas Iyer during critical decisions. A lineup with Russell and Stokes can be a nightmare for any team, as on their given day, they can just steamroll through the opposition team.

The two-time IPL champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, haven’t been quite riding on their form from the last edition, where they reached the finals. The tournament isn’t going as per plan when you have to bench two of the four retained players. KKR was one of the teams, along with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/mi-mumbai-indians/">Mumbai Indians</a>, that didn’t have a great mega auction. The Knight Riders couldn’t raise the auction paddle long enough for other deserving players as their hands were tied after they spent a whopping 12.25 crores, almost 39% of the total purse value, on buying their new captain, Shreyas Iyer. And that is where they missed a trick or two, which is also reflected in their performance as they are placed in the bottom half of the points table. As the greats of the game say, 50% of the IPL is won at the auction table, where you identify the gaps in your team and bid for the players who can fill those voids and play as per their designated roles. As we head towards the business end of the Tata IPL 2022, many teams, and especially KKR, would have identified their vulnerable areas and who would be their mitochondria, which could be the powerhouse of the team in the coming seasons. A testimony to KKR’s problems has been the fact that out of the maximum quota of 25 players, 20 of them have played in 12 games. There has not been a single game, where Kolkata played with an unchanged eleven, making the outfit look completely unsettled.
<h3>However, there are three players, that KKR can target in the next auction to bridge the gaps in the current squad:</h3>
<h3>1. Ben McDermott</h3>
<figure id="attachment_591212" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-591212" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-591212" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ben-McDermott.jpg" alt="Ben McDermott" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-591212" class="wp-caption-text">Ben McDermott. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
One of the major problems for KKR has been their opening partnership, where they have experimented with six different combinations only to change them after a few bad games. Apart from missing a fiery opener who can go all guns blazing in the powerplay overs, they also do not have a proper firepower wicket-keeper batter in their squad. KKR have tried three different keepers in the 12 games that they have played. Starting with Sheldon Jackson, then Sam Billings, to their latest experiment, Baba Aparajith. To solve this, the hard-hitting Australian wicket-keeper batter, Ben McDermott, could be a perfect fit for KKR. As the famous saying in Hindi goes, “Ek teer se do nishane”, which roughly translates to, “targeting two solutions with one arrow”. With his massive six-hitting ability in the powerplay overs, Ben McDermott can walk into any playing eleven. Moreover, Ben can also don the gloves behind the wicket for the KKR. McDermott has played 74 matches in the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/bbl-big-bash-league/?page=1">Big Bash League</a>, scoring 2139 runs at an average of 36.88. More than the average, what has grabbed the attention of the cricket pundits is his strike rate of 138.9. In the BBL 2021, Ben McDermott came to the limelight when he scored back-to-back match-winning centuries. One of them came chasing a total of 175 against the Adelaide strikers. Ben was in red-hot form, scoring three fifties and two centuries. He was the highest run-getter in BBL21, which earned him a maiden call-up for the Australian squad. Such a clean striker of the cricket ball would have been a perfect opener and keeper for KKR, as they have been struggling to get consistent scores from their openers in the 15th edition of the Tata IPL. McDermott, along with Venky, could be the perfect left-right combination for KKR to dominate in 2023.

<h3>2. Adam Zampa</h3>
<figure id="attachment_479370" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-479370" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-479370" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Adam-Zampa.jpg" alt="Adam Zampa" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-479370" class="wp-caption-text">Adam Zampa. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
Leg-spin in T20 cricket is like salt in food. It is such a key ingredient in T20 that without leg spinners, the playing eleven looks just plain and tasteless, just like food without salt. Even in the T20 bowlers’ ranking list, five of the top 10 bowlers are wrist spinners. In this year’s mega auction, KKR were so confident in their spin twins of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy that they didn’t even bid for a full-time spinner. This move has certainly come back to haunt them as both Narine and Chakravarthy have failed to give KKR the much-needed breakthroughs in the middle overs. The number four ranked in the ICC men’s T20 bowlers list can be a game-changer with his leg-breaks. Zampa is very similar to <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-will-break-virat-kohlis-record-of-973-runs-in-10-matches-yuzvendra-chahals-hilarious-comments-on-opening-the-innings/">Yuzvendra Chahal</a> in terms of stature and the way they both bowl, Zamp is a brave leggie who isn’t afraid to give the ball the much-needed flight that allows him to zip around the wicket. The only condition for being a spinner is that one must not be afraid of being hit for a six, and that’s what stands him out from the lot. KKR’s mystery bowler, Chakravarthy, has become history now, and a wrist spinner in the form of Zampa can help them turn things around in their favor. Zampa has featured in 14 IPL matches and picked up 21 wickets, with best figures of 6/19. Moreover, Adam has a stupendous strike rate in the IPL, as he strikes after almost every 13 balls and delivers a wicket ball. The Australian leggie has also been a stalwart for the Melbourne Stars, his BBL franchise, where he has been their highest wicket-taker with 82 wickets. As KKR has been struggling to take wickets in overs between 7 and 14, Adam Zampa, with his wicket-taking abilities in the middle overs, could be the perfect partner in crime for Narine in next year’s IPL for Kolkata.

3. Ben Stokes
<figure id="attachment_376339" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-376339" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-376339" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ben-Stokes-2.jpg" alt="Ben Stokes" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-376339" class="wp-caption-text">Ben Stokes. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
There wouldn’t be a single paddle that wouldn’t go up when the auctioneer displays Ben Stokes’ name on the big screen. A fast-bowling all-rounder is the most sought-after player in any lineup, be it test cricket, one-day or T20 cricket. A fast bowler who can pick crucial wickets and a gritty batter who can smack the leather of the cricket ball always, bring balance to the playing eleven. And KKR has been dying to get the right balance for their squad, as they have tried 20 players out of their quota of 25 players in this season of the Tata IPL. There will undoubtedly be a bidding war if and when Ben Stokes steps foot on the auction block, but KKR must dig up their reserve funds to secure the man who can do the job <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/hes-one-of-the-guys-who-can-do-special-things-tim-southee-in-awe-of-andre-russells-splendid-ipl-2022-form/">Andre Russell</a> has been doing for years. In recent years, KKR has been overly reliant on Russell, and they have struggled to get over the line when he fails to deliver. This gap can be filled by Stokes as he can go bonkers right from the word go. The “Man of the Match” of the 2019 ODI World Cup final is no stranger to playing under pressure and that will further ease the pressure on Shreyas Iyer and Russell, who have been doing the bulk of the scoring for KKR. Scoring over 900 runs in 42 IPL innings, Stokes has already proved his mettle in the Indian premier league. Ben has scored two IPL centuries, striking at a staggering strike rate of 134.5. In the 37 innings that Stokes had the ball in hand, he picked up 28 wickets at a decent economy of 8.56 runs per over. Stokes can also bring his experience into KKR’s lineup and can guide the young captain Shreyas Iyer during critical decisions. A lineup with Russell and Stokes can be a nightmare for any team, as on their given day, they can just steamroll through the opposition team.

The two-time IPL champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, haven’t been quite riding on their form from the last edition, where they reached the finals. The tournament isn’t going as per plan when you have to bench two of the four retained players. KKR was one of the teams, along with <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/mi-mumbai-indians/">Mumbai Indians</a>, that didn’t have a great mega auction. The Knight Riders couldn’t raise the auction paddle long enough for other deserving players as their hands were tied after they spent a whopping 12.25 crores, almost 39% of the total purse value, on buying their new captain, Shreyas Iyer. And that is where they missed a trick or two, which is also reflected in their performance as they are placed in the bottom half of the points table. As the greats of the game say, 50% of the IPL is won at the auction table, where you identify the gaps in your team and bid for the players who can fill those voids and play as per their designated roles. As we head towards the business end of the Tata IPL 2022, many teams, and especially KKR, would have identified their vulnerable areas and who would be their mitochondria, which could be the powerhouse of the team in the coming seasons. A testimony to KKR’s problems has been the fact that out of the maximum quota of 25 players, 20 of them have played in 12 games. There has not been a single game, where Kolkata played with an unchanged eleven, making the outfit look completely unsettled.
<h3>However, there are three players, that KKR can target in the next auction to bridge the gaps in the current squad:</h3>
<h3>1. Ben McDermott</h3>
<figure id="attachment_591212" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-591212" style="width: 640px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-591212" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ben-McDermott.jpg" alt="Ben McDermott" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px">
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-591212" class="wp-caption-text">Ben McDermott. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
One of the major problems for KKR has been their opening partnership, where they have experimented with six different combinations only to change them after a few bad games. Apart from missing a fiery opener who can go all guns blazing in the powerplay overs, they also do not have a proper firepower wicket-keeper batter in their squad. KKR have tried three different keepers in the 12 games that they have played. Starting with Sheldon Jackson, then Sam Billings, to their latest experiment, Baba Aparajith. To solve this, the hard-hitting Australian wicket-keeper batter, Ben McDermott, could be a perfect fit for KKR. As the famous saying in Hindi goes, “Ek teer se do nishane”, which roughly translates to, “targeting two solutions with one arrow”. With his massive six-hitting ability in the powerplay overs, Ben McDermott can walk into any playing eleven. Moreover, Ben can also don the gloves behind the wicket for the KKR. McDermott has played 74 matches in the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/bbl-big-bash-league/?page=1">Big Bash League</a>, scoring 2139 runs at an average of 36.88. More than the average, what has grabbed the attention of the cricket pundits is his strike rate of 138.9. In the BBL 2021, Ben McDermott came to the limelight when he scored back-to-back match-winning centuries. One of them came chasing a total of 175 against the Adelaide strikers. Ben was in red-hot form, scoring three fifties and two centuries. He was the highest run-getter in BBL21, which earned him a maiden call-up for the Australian squad. Such a clean striker of the cricket ball would have been a perfect opener and keeper for KKR, as they have been struggling to get consistent scores from their openers in the 15th edition of the Tata IPL. McDermott, along with Venky, could be the perfect left-right combination for KKR to dominate in 2023.

<h3>2. Adam Zampa</h3>
<figure id="attachment_479370" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-479370" style="width: 640px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-479370" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Adam-Zampa.jpg" alt="Adam Zampa" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px">
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-479370" class="wp-caption-text">Adam Zampa. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
Leg-spin in T20 cricket is like salt in food. It is such a key ingredient in T20 that without leg spinners, the playing eleven looks just plain and tasteless, just like food without salt. Even in the T20 bowlers’ ranking list, five of the top 10 bowlers are wrist spinners. In this year’s mega auction, KKR were so confident in their spin twins of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy that they didn’t even bid for a full-time spinner. This move has certainly come back to haunt them as both Narine and Chakravarthy have failed to give KKR the much-needed breakthroughs in the middle overs. The number four ranked in the ICC men’s T20 bowlers list can be a game-changer with his leg-breaks. Zampa is very similar to <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-will-break-virat-kohlis-record-of-973-runs-in-10-matches-yuzvendra-chahals-hilarious-comments-on-opening-the-innings/">Yuzvendra Chahal</a> in terms of stature and the way they both bowl, Zamp is a brave leggie who isn’t afraid to give the ball the much-needed flight that allows him to zip around the wicket. The only condition for being a spinner is that one must not be afraid of being hit for a six, and that’s what stands him out from the lot. KKR’s mystery bowler, Chakravarthy, has become history now, and a wrist spinner in the form of Zampa can help them turn things around in their favor. Zampa has featured in 14 IPL matches and picked up 21 wickets, with best figures of 6/19. Moreover, Adam has a stupendous strike rate in the IPL, as he strikes after almost every 13 balls and delivers a wicket ball. The Australian leggie has also been a stalwart for the Melbourne Stars, his BBL franchise, where he has been their highest wicket-taker with 82 wickets. As KKR has been struggling to take wickets in overs between 7 and 14, Adam Zampa, with his wicket-taking abilities in the middle overs, could be the perfect partner in crime for Narine in next year’s IPL for Kolkata.

3. Ben Stokes
<figure id="attachment_376339" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-376339" style="width: 640px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-376339" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ben-Stokes-2.jpg" alt="Ben Stokes" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px">
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-376339" class="wp-caption-text">Ben Stokes. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
There wouldn’t be a single paddle that wouldn’t go up when the auctioneer displays Ben Stokes’ name on the big screen. A fast-bowling all-rounder is the most sought-after player in any lineup, be it test cricket, one-day or T20 cricket. A fast bowler who can pick crucial wickets and a gritty batter who can smack the leather of the cricket ball always, bring balance to the playing eleven. And KKR has been dying to get the right balance for their squad, as they have tried 20 players out of their quota of 25 players in this season of the Tata IPL. There will undoubtedly be a bidding war if and when Ben Stokes steps foot on the auction block, but KKR must dig up their reserve funds to secure the man who can do the job <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/hes-one-of-the-guys-who-can-do-special-things-tim-southee-in-awe-of-andre-russells-splendid-ipl-2022-form/">Andre Russell</a> has been doing for years. In recent years, KKR has been overly reliant on Russell, and they have struggled to get over the line when he fails to deliver. This gap can be filled by Stokes as he can go bonkers right from the word go. The “Man of the Match” of the 2019 ODI World Cup final is no stranger to playing under pressure and that will further ease the pressure on Shreyas Iyer and Russell, who have been doing the bulk of the scoring for KKR. Scoring over 900 runs in 42 IPL innings, Stokes has already proved his mettle in the Indian premier league. Ben has scored two IPL centuries, striking at a staggering strike rate of 134.5. In the 37 innings that Stokes had the ball in hand, he picked up 28 wickets at a decent economy of 8.56 runs per over. Stokes can also bring his experience into KKR’s lineup and can guide the young captain Shreyas Iyer during critical decisions. A lineup with Russell and Stokes can be a nightmare for any team, as on their given day, they can just steamroll through the opposition team.

The two-time IPL champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, haven’t been quite riding on their form from the last edition, where they reached the finals. The tournament isn’t going as per plan when you have to

3 Players KKR can target in next year's IPL Auction

KKR spent almost 39% of the total purse value on buying their new captain, Shreyas Iyer.

KKR was one of the teams, along with Mumbai Indians that didn’t have a great mega auction and have struggled to get a perfect team balance.