Andre Russell captain, Bairstow and Uthappa enter KKR for IPL 2022

The IPL mega auction will be held across February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. Kolkata knight riders (KKR) retained Andre Russell (INR 12 crore), Varun Chakravarthy (INR 8 crore), Venkatesh Iyer (INR 8 crore), Sunil Narine (INR 6 crore). With Iyer, the one opening spot is fixed. Andre Russell captain, Jonny Bairstow and Robin Uthappa enter KKR for IPL 2022.

However, KKR are on the lookout for an experienced player who can lead the innings. Besides Russell, KKR decided to retain Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer and Sunil Narine for the next three seasons. “We have got a long-term relationship with Sunil and Andre.

The loyalty and the continued belief in players…  is something we are really proud of as a franchise… over the years it’s the pick of the same players that filters throughout the line-up,” was how coach Brendon McCullum justified the selections in a media release.

The Andre Russell Jamaican has been troubled by knee and hamstring injuries in the last two seasons. At 33, he is struggling to keep pace with the format and hasn’t lived up to his explosive match-winner’s tag. In 10 matches in the last IPL, Russell scored 183 runs at a strike-rate of 152.50 and took 11 wickets at an economy of 9.89.

The T20 World Cup that followed was worse: In five matches for the West Indies, he made 25 runs and picked up just three wickets. The KKR management has shown immense faith by retaining him as their No.1 player. Some reports say Andre Russell may be captain for KKR in IPL 2022.

Two new teams have been added to the IPL which makes this a 10-team tournament from 2022. Meanwhile, in this article, we will take a look at two players KKR can possibly target at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Robin Uthappa has been a part KKR. He made his India debut in an ODI in 2006 and went on to represent his nation in 46 50-over matches and 13 T20Is.

He has represented six teams in the IPL since the tournament started in 2008, making 193 appearances in total. Uthappa averages 27.94 and boasts a strike rate of 130.15 in the T20 league and can still be a valuable asset for any franchise. In 2014, He amassed 660 runs as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won the IPL title.

The right-hander showcased his experience in CSK colors last season. He scored a 44-ball 63 in the Qualifier against Delhi Capitals (DC) to take CSK to the final. Uthappa then played a 31-run knock off just 15 balls in the final against KKR as CSK beat his former team by 27 runs in the summit clash. Robin Uthappa’s best seasons in the IPL were when he opened for KKR. But he has also done well playing at no.3.

Even for CSK, he played at no.3, but he is also equally adept at batting a spot lower. Robin Uthappa,36, showed in IPL 2021 that he still has the ability to impact games and be a key player for his team. KKR May bring him back in IPL 2022 mega auction.

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KKR are also looking for a wicketkeeper apart from an opener. Jonny Bairstow fulfils both roles perfectly. His record in the IPL is impeccable. Since 2019 he has scored 1038 runs in the league with seven fifties and a hundred. He is a very experienced international cricket and can bat according to the situation. He also can be flexible in the batting order.

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Jonny Bairstow could play a dual role for KKR. The two-time IPL champions have always relied on their spin bowling to tackle the opposition and thus need a dependable gloveman to make the most of the chances created by their spinners. In addition, Bairstow has the capability to play at the top as well as the middle order, which makes him an interesting option for the franchise even if they move in for Gill again.