IPL 2022: 3 benched KKR players who deserve a chance in the playing XI

So far, the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has not disappointed us at all. It has been a thrilling season till now and is surely going to be more exhilarating as it moves ahead to the significant part of the league. But for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), it has been a lackluster ride as of yet. They started their campaign on a positive note defeating the defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the inaugural match of this edition. Since then, their batting department has completely underperformed as the likes of Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana and Sheldon Jackson have let them down at crucial stages repeatedly. Apart from Umesh Yadav in the initial games and Sunil Narine, bowling has not worked either. Pat Cummins has been handy with the bat but has been pretty expensive with the bowl.

With nothing working in their favour KKR might look at some alternatives. They have quality in the bench and could end KKR’s ongoing four-match losing streak. The Kolkata franchise are currently at the 7th position in the points table with just three wins from eight games. They will surely need some chopping and changing if they have to keep them in the fray for the playoff race. On that note, we take a look at 3 players, who can come out of the bench and change Kolkata’s fortune. 

3 benched KKR players who deserve a chance in the playing XI

1. Baba Indrajith 

This steady Tamil Nadu middle-order batsman has the most impressive first-class average since the start of 2016. Internationally speaking, Afghanistan’s Bashir Shah, New Zealand’s Devon Conway, and South Africa’s Obus Pienaar are the only three batters with better averages than Baba Indrajith. He averages over 50 in 56 first-class matches, including 12 centuries and 19 fifties. He has that ability to steer the innings as the situation demands. Doubling up with his wicket-keeping abilities, he can be an asset for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

He has worked on his white-ball game in recent years and made exceptional contributions for his domestic side i.e. Tamil Nadu in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Indrajith has got all the shots in the book and can embolden the KKR middle order as it seems a bit out of place at the moment. He is certainly someone who can give that much-needed steadiness in the middle phase of the innings.

After Sheldon Jackson’s average performance with the bat, he is the next Indian wicket-keeping option for Kolkata Knight Riders with much more reliable batting abilities. KKR’s game plan has always been to attack throughout the innings but they need the dependability in the middle order to hold the unwanted downfall from one end. With the likes of Andre Rusell, Nitish Rana, and Shreyas Iyer dominating the opposition from the get-go, Baba Indrajith can certainly be an anchor for KKR in their upcoming ventures.