IPL 2023: Team-wise opening combination for 16th edition
With the IPL only a few months away, franchises are trying to zero in on their ideal opening combination.
4. Kolkata Knight Riders - Venkatesh Iyer and Rahmanullah Gurbaz
KKR struggled to find the right combination at the top of the order last season and tried six pairs out and seven batters. They averaged a meagre 15.78 for the first wicket, and have bought a lot of new openers to rectify the issue. However, they still retained Venkatesh Iyer for big money, showing they are willing to back him as the first-choice opener again.
Now, for the other spot, there is significant competition among three Asian keepers in the form of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Litton Das, and Narayan Jagadeesan. With Litton only available for a limited period of time after the tournament starts, Gurbaz will start the season as their preferred opener. Moreover, the fact that they specifically traded him before the auction shows that they see him as a player with massive potential.
The Afghan plays an aggressive brand of cricket, as evidenced by a T20 career strike rate of 152.94. Even Venkatesh Iyer usually plays with positive intent, and the duo should enjoy itself on the flat surface of Eden Gardens. Knight Riders will hope that both Venkatesh and Rahmanullah get them off to flyers in the 2023 edition.
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