The two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be at a major disadvantage during the UAE leg of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). IPL 2021 was suspended for an indefinite time period after hosting just 29 matches due to a breach in the biosecure bubble.

However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now decided to conduct the remaining matches of the league in September and October in the UAE. Ahead of the UAE leg, the Knight Riders have been dealt with a massive blow.

KKR have learned that there is uncertainty looming over the participation of the England players. A few days back, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director Ashley Giles announced that no English player will be allowed to participate in the T20 extravaganza.

The absence of England players means that KKR will be without the services of their skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/3-players-who-can-replace-eoin-morgan-at-kkr-in-ipl-2021/">Eoin Morgan</a>. Morgan took over the reins as the Knight Riders&#8217; captain in the middle of IPL 2020. The KKR team management will again have to hunt for a perfect leader for the squad.

In this article, let’s take a look at three KKR players who can be potential leaders for the 2012 and 2014 champions:

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-454392" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dinesh-Karthik.jpg" alt="Dinesh Karthik" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-454392" class="wp-caption-text">Dinesh Karthik. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Dinesh Karthik will be the first name in the mind of the management as the 35-year-old captained the Kolkata Knight Riders for two and a half seasons. Karthik joined KKR in the 2018 edition and was immediately handed the responsibility of leading the side.

Under his leadership, KKR reached the semi-finals during IPL 2018. The franchise missed the playoffs in 2019 due to a lower net run rate than Sunrisers Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Karthik decided to step down in the middle of IPL 2020 to make way for England skipper Eoin Morgan. However, the wicketkeeper-batsman continues to be an integral part of the Kolkata setup as he comes with a lot of experience and exposure.

Also, he has decent IPL records under his name in his career thus far. The former skipper has featured in a stunning 203 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL</a> matches scoring 3946 runs at an average of 26.1 and strike rate of 129.9.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-450923" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shubman-Gill-1.jpg" alt="Shubman Gill" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-450923" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Kolkata Knight Riders made a long-term investment in 2018 when they picked the star of India’s U-19 team’s campaign in the Youth World Cup, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/brad-hogg-highlights-shubman-gills-weakness-that-can-make-bowlers-lucky-against-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shubman Gill</a> for INR 1.8 crores during the auction. The 21-year-old has repeatedly made heads turn with his class and character in the Indian Premier League.

Gill has a stunning 1071 runs under his belt from 48 games at an average of 30.8 and a strike rate of 124.2. The Fazilka-born has flaunted his class in the international circuit too and is touted as the next big thing in the Indian cricket fraternity. Thus, Gill can be a good option for leading the team in the absence of Morgan.

Kolkata are unlikely to let go of Gill during the mega-auctions too for IPL 2022. Thus, they can prepare Gill as the future skipper of the franchise by handing him the responsibility early on in his career.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505283" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/nitish-rana-2.jpg" alt="Nitish Rana" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505283" class="wp-caption-text">Nitish Rana. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Kolkata Knight Riders acquired the services of top-order batsman <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4629997973697554" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nitish Rana</a> during the IPL 2018 auction by shelling a handsome amount of INR 3.4 crores. Since his inclusion in the Knight Riders&#8217; camp, the 27-year-old has proved to be a mainstay of their batting line-up.

Rana has performed decently for KKR in the three seasons as he has collected 304, 344, and 352 runs in IPL 2018, 2019, and 2020 respectively. The left-hander was also going strong in the 2021 edition and was the highest run-getter for the franchise with 201 runs from seven matches.

Though Rana doesn’t have any experience of leading a team, having a relatively young skipper might change the fortunes of KKR. The Knight Riders experienced a poor run in IPL 2021 as they could win just two matches out of seven league games. Thus, bringing young minds into the leadership group might work for the two-time champion.

The two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be at a major disadvantage during the UAE leg of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). IPL 2021 was suspended for an indefinite time period after hosting just 29 matches due to a breach in the biosecure bubble. 
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now decided to conduct the remaining matches of the league in September and October in the UAE. Ahead of the UAE leg, the Knight Riders have been dealt with a massive blow.
KKR have learned that there is uncertainty looming over the participation of the England players. A few days back, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director Ashley Giles announced that no English player will be allowed to participate in the T20 extravaganza.&nbsp;
The absence of England players means that KKR will be without the services of their skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/3-players-who-can-replace-eoin-morgan-at-kkr-in-ipl-2021/">Eoin Morgan</a>. Morgan took over the reins as the Knight Riders’ captain in the middle of IPL 2020. The KKR team management will again have to hunt for a perfect leader for the squad.
<h3>In this article, let’s take a look at three KKR players who can be potential leaders for the 2012 and 2014 champions:</h3>
<h3>1. Dinesh Karthik</h3>
<figure id="attachment_454392" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-454392" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-454392" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dinesh-Karthik.jpg" alt="Dinesh Karthik" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-454392" class="wp-caption-text">Dinesh Karthik. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Dinesh Karthik will be the first name in the mind of the management as the 35-year-old captained the Kolkata Knight Riders for two and a half seasons. Karthik joined KKR in the 2018 edition and was immediately handed the responsibility of leading the side.&nbsp;
Under his leadership, KKR reached the semi-finals during IPL 2018. The franchise missed the playoffs in 2019 due to a lower net run rate than Sunrisers Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Karthik decided to step down in the middle of IPL 2020 to make way for England skipper Eoin Morgan. However, the wicketkeeper-batsman continues to be an integral part of the Kolkata setup as he comes with a lot of experience and exposure.
Also, he has decent IPL records under his name in his career thus far. The former skipper has featured in a stunning 203 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL</a> matches scoring 3946 runs at an average of 26.1 and strike rate of 129.9.&nbsp;

<h3>2. Shubman Gill</h3>
<figure id="attachment_450923" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-450923" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-450923" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shubman-Gill-1.jpg" alt="Shubman Gill" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-450923" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Kolkata Knight Riders made a long-term investment in 2018 when they picked the star of India’s U-19 team’s campaign in the Youth World Cup, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/brad-hogg-highlights-shubman-gills-weakness-that-can-make-bowlers-lucky-against-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shubman Gill</a> for INR 1.8 crores during the auction. The 21-year-old has repeatedly made heads turn with his class and character in the Indian Premier League.
Gill has a stunning 1071 runs under his belt from 48 games at an average of 30.8 and a strike rate of 124.2. The Fazilka-born has flaunted his class in the international circuit too and is touted as the next big thing in the Indian cricket fraternity. Thus, Gill can be a good option for leading the team in the absence of Morgan.
Kolkata are unlikely to let go of Gill during the mega-auctions too for IPL 2022. Thus, they can prepare Gill as the future skipper of the franchise by handing him the responsibility early on in his career.

<h3>3. Nitish Rana</h3>
<figure id="attachment_505283" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-505283" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-505283" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/nitish-rana-2.jpg" alt="Nitish Rana" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505283" class="wp-caption-text">Nitish Rana. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Kolkata Knight Riders acquired the services of top-order batsman <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4629997973697554" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nitish Rana</a> during the IPL 2018 auction by shelling a handsome amount of INR 3.4 crores. Since his inclusion in the Knight Riders’ camp, the 27-year-old has proved to be a mainstay of their batting line-up.&nbsp;
Rana has performed decently for KKR in the three seasons as he has collected 304, 344, and 352 runs in IPL 2018, 2019, and 2020 respectively. The left-hander was also going strong in the 2021 edition and was the highest run-getter for the franchise with 201 runs from seven matches.
Though Rana doesn’t have any experience of leading a team, having a relatively young skipper might change the fortunes of KKR. The Knight Riders experienced a poor run in IPL 2021 as they could win just two matches out of seven league games. Thus, bringing young minds into the leadership group might work for the two-time champion.&nbsp;

The two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be at a major disadvantage during the UAE leg of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). IPL 2021 was suspended for an indefinite time period after hosting just 29 matches due to a breach in the biosecure bubble. 
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now decided to conduct the remaining matches of the league in September and October in the UAE. Ahead of the UAE leg, the Knight Riders have been dealt with a massive blow.
KKR have learned that there is uncertainty looming over the participation of the England players. A few days back, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director Ashley Giles announced that no English player will be allowed to participate in the T20 extravaganza. 
The absence of England players means that KKR will be without the services of their skipper <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/3-players-who-can-replace-eoin-morgan-at-kkr-in-ipl-2021/">Eoin Morgan</a>. Morgan took over the reins as the Knight Riders&#8217; captain in the middle of IPL 2020. The KKR team management will again have to hunt for a perfect leader for the squad.
<h3>In this article, let’s take a look at three KKR players who can be potential leaders for the 2012 and 2014 champions:</h3>
<h3>1. Dinesh Karthik</h3>
<figure id="attachment_454392" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-454392" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-454392" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dinesh-Karthik.jpg" alt="Dinesh Karthik" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-454392" class="wp-caption-text">Dinesh Karthik. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Dinesh Karthik will be the first name in the mind of the management as the 35-year-old captained the Kolkata Knight Riders for two and a half seasons. Karthik joined KKR in the 2018 edition and was immediately handed the responsibility of leading the side. 
Under his leadership, KKR reached the semi-finals during IPL 2018. The franchise missed the playoffs in 2019 due to a lower net run rate than Sunrisers Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Karthik decided to step down in the middle of IPL 2020 to make way for England skipper Eoin Morgan. However, the wicketkeeper-batsman continues to be an integral part of the Kolkata setup as he comes with a lot of experience and exposure.
Also, he has decent IPL records under his name in his career thus far. The former skipper has featured in a stunning 203 <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/t20/ipl-indian-premier-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL</a> matches scoring 3946 runs at an average of 26.1 and strike rate of 129.9. 

<h3>2. Shubman Gill</h3>
<figure id="attachment_450923" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-450923" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-450923" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shubman-Gill-1.jpg" alt="Shubman Gill" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-450923" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Kolkata Knight Riders made a long-term investment in 2018 when they picked the star of India’s U-19 team’s campaign in the Youth World Cup, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/brad-hogg-highlights-shubman-gills-weakness-that-can-make-bowlers-lucky-against-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shubman Gill</a> for INR 1.8 crores during the auction. The 21-year-old has repeatedly made heads turn with his class and character in the Indian Premier League.
Gill has a stunning 1071 runs under his belt from 48 games at an average of 30.8 and a strike rate of 124.2. The Fazilka-born has flaunted his class in the international circuit too and is touted as the next big thing in the Indian cricket fraternity. Thus, Gill can be a good option for leading the team in the absence of Morgan.
Kolkata are unlikely to let go of Gill during the mega-auctions too for IPL 2022. Thus, they can prepare Gill as the future skipper of the franchise by handing him the responsibility early on in his career.

<h3>3. Nitish Rana</h3>
<figure id="attachment_505283" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-505283" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505283" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/nitish-rana-2.jpg" alt="Nitish Rana" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505283" class="wp-caption-text">Nitish Rana. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Kolkata Knight Riders acquired the services of top-order batsman <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crictracker/posts/4629997973697554" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nitish Rana</a> during the IPL 2018 auction by shelling a handsome amount of INR 3.4 crores. Since his inclusion in the Knight Riders&#8217; camp, the 27-year-old has proved to be a mainstay of their batting line-up. 
Rana has performed decently for KKR in the three seasons as he has collected 304, 344, and 352 runs in IPL 2018, 2019, and 2020 respectively. The left-hander was also going strong in the 2021 edition and was the highest run-getter for the franchise with 201 runs from seven matches.
Though Rana doesn’t have any experience of leading a team, having a relatively young skipper might change the fortunes of KKR. The Knight Riders experienced a poor run in IPL 2021 as they could win just two matches out of seven league games. Thus, bringing young minds into the leadership group might work for the two-time champion.

Morgan took over the reins as the Knight Riders captain in the middle of IPL 2020.

IPL 2021: 3 Players who can lead Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Eoin Morgan's absence

In this article, let’s take a look at three players who can be potential leaders for KKR in absence of Eoin Morgan during the secong leg