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Gautam Gambhir In KKR; Here're The Likely Changes For Two-Time Champs In IPL 2024

image-lp9jd4drGautam Gambhir posing with KKR trophy (X.com)

The move that die-hard Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fans have been dreaming of has finally become a reality on Wednesday (November 22). The Purple & Gold Brigade's two-time IPL champion captain in 2012 and 2014, Gautam Gambhir, is finally back where he belongs. The Knight Riders have been going through a torrid phase for some time, and they desperately needed some inspiration to change their fortunes.

And who else is better than Gambhir to join them at this point? For Shreyas Iyer & Co., whose performance in the competition has been incredibly inconsistent for quite some time, Gambhir’s addition as a 'mentor' of the side has been a pure blessing.

As we know, Gambhir is a busy man wherever he goes, as he always tries to bring the best out of any situation. So, even before the bidding war begins, do not be surprised if KKR go for surprising trades to set the platform.

In this article, we will concentrate on the areas where KKR want to make improvements before anything else.


A Prolific Foreign Fast Bowler

After Pat Cummins withdrew from IPL 2023, KKR brought in Lockie Ferguson for a massive price of INR 10 crore from the Gujarat Titans as a trade. The Kiwi fast bowler only played in three games, claimed just one wicket, and had an economy rate of 12.52, so the move was nothing but a complete failure.

Even Shardul Thakur, who joined KKR from Delhi Capitals for the previous season, failed to make any significant impact. Therefore, their first priority will be to rebuild the fast bowling department, and Mitchell Starc and Cummins will be among the players they recruit to lead the pack.

A Reliable Indian Opener

After watching stupendous performances in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), KKR kept their faith in Narayan Jagadeesan in the IPL 2022. The wicket-keeper batsman, however, could only score 89 runs in six matches at an average of just 14.89. Hence, it is safe to say that the move was a complete disappointment.

KKR will look to bring someone like Gambhir and Robin Uthappa, who brought glories in the past by giving them solid starts day in and day out. They already have aggressive openers in Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and bringing one of them into the playing XI, all they need is a trustworthy Indian batsman from the other end.

As of right now, there are not many suitable Indian openers on the market, so KKR will have to convince other franchises to make a trade to fix this.

Moving On From Dre-Russ & Narine

KKR’s two pivotal cogs, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, have delivered many successes over the years. However, since they are no longer as reliable as they once were, the time has come to move past them. Keeping them in the playing XI often feels like a liability, and KKR must take bold calls in order to rejuvenate.

KKR must correct these issues among many, and under Gambhir's leadership, it will be done very soon.