IPL 2022: 3 Players KKR could have picked instead of Pat Cummins

2. Rahul Tripathi

Rahul Tripathi was among the most surprising discoveries of the 2017 IPL, as he astonished everyone with his selection in the Rising Pune Supergiant team. Tripathi, a top-order batsman with a talent for clearing the infield, troubled pacers and spinners alike with his quick movement and kinesthetic awareness. Given his lackluster domestic performances across formats, his inclusion in the playing XI raised some eyebrows, but it turned out to be a genius move by the management, as he played a significant part in the team’s campaign, which saw them reach their first IPL final.

In the 2018 IPL auction, he was purchased by the Rajasthan Royals in January 2018. The Rajasthan Royals released him before the 2020 IPL auction. With Ajinkya Rahane and Jos Buttler at the forefront, it was almost impossible for the young bloke to break through, and he usually had to deal with the finisher’s job, which wasn’t exactly his guilty pleasure. Rahane’s continued lack of form towards the conclusion of the tournament saw Tripathi moved to the top of the order, and he responded with a superb fifty in the tournament’s last league game, which was a simulated playoff game.

He was purchased by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2020 IPL auction ahead of the Indian Premier League. He proved himself to be an excellent batsman for KKR. In 70 matches he has a run score of 1613 with a strike rate of 140.63. In IPL 2022, the right-handed batter was signed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad with INR 8.50 crore. Given that Kolkata have had problems at the top order, Tripathi’s acquisition could have turned into a game-changer for the franchise.