'They might not be able to get him back' - Irfan Pathan feels KKR should retain 'hot pick' Venkatesh Iyer

With the deadline for the IPL franchises to announce the players that they have retained set for 30th November 2021, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has offered his thoughts on the players that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise should retain.

Pathan feels that trailblazing opener Venkatesh Iyer and right-handed opening batsman Shubman Gill should be the 2 Indian players that the two-time IPL champions should retain. The 37-year-old also feels that even though KKR might also want to retain Varun Chakravarthy or Nitish Rana as well, they should go for Iyer as he will be a ‘hot pick’.

“The third one will be in Shubman Gill. He was in the leadership group a couple of years ago. And the 4th one, yes you need to think about Varun Chakravarthy or Nitish Rana but I would go for Venkatesh Iyer. If that guy goes in the auction, because of his ability to bowl a couple of overs, he will be a hot pick. You might not be able to get him back,” said Irfan Pathan in a chat with Star Sports.

KKR would want to keep both Sunil Narine and Andre Russell: Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan also feels that the likes of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine are quality players and even though they did not perform well in the recent past, they need to be persisted with. Pathan concluded by stating that Lockie Ferguson is good with both the new as well as the old ball, and the Kiwi pacer is another option that KKR might want to consider.

“When it comes to Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, they are quality players, I know their fitness hasn’t been up to the mark, their performances haven’t been up to the mark but you need to give them another 2 years. They were part of the winning team a couple of times.

Both, you want to keep them both. I know they are not at the peak of their careers, I know KKR would be thinking of Lockie Ferguson. He is really, really good with the new ball, old ball, bowling those yorkers. He would be my first pick if I have to choose between him and Pat Cummins. I think he is quality,” concluded Pathan.