IPL Auction 2020: What strategy can you expect Kolkata Knight Riders to follow?

Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders retained as many as 13 of their players during the recently concluded trading window. However, they also released 11 cricketers, which included some of their star overseas performers like Chris Lynn and Carlos Brathwaite. After the trading window, Kolkata Knight Riders are now left with a purse of ₹35.65 crores. They have about 11 slots left to be filled in their squad, which includes 7 for domestic players and 4 for overseas cricketers.

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IPL Auction 2020: What to expect from Kolkata Knight Riders?

Hunt for an ideal striker at the top

Since Kolkata Knight Riders recently released Chris Lynn from their line-up, they will be looking for an ideal replacement for the burly Australian opener. Expect the franchise to bet big on the likes of New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro, courtesy the presence of Brendon McCullum as head coach. They can also target someone like Eoin Morgan or David Miller to bolster up their middle order for the next season.

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Adding fire to their fast bowling arsenal

Historically, KKR has always been known for their spin bowling. Spinners like Sunil Narine and Kuldeep Yadav have been the mainstays of their bowling attack for many years. In the IPL Auction 2020, the franchise could look to go after a T20 specialist pacer like Josh Hazlewood, Tim Southee or Dale Steyn. IPL 2018 Purple Cap winner Andrew Tye is also one of the contenders whom the franchise could target.

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Look to acquire an all-rounder or two

Big-hitting all-rounders have always been one of KKR’s biggest strengths from the past decade. Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell is among the many all-rounders up for grabs. Maxwell with his off-breaks and middle-order blitzkriegs is something the Knight Riders management would be interested in the auction.

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