<p>It's been three years since KKR last made the IPL playoffs. Since then, <b>Eoin Morgan</b> has been named captain and the emergence of Shubman Gill and Prasidh Krishna has lifted the hopes of the KKR faithful. But can they ride on their overseas stars to get the franchise back to their glory days of 2012 and 2014? Here's a Sixer preview of the Kolkata Knight Riders!</p>
It wasn't long ago that Kolkata Knight Riders were a regular fixture in the IPL play-offs. However, a couple of personnel concerns and the lack of balance have cost them over the last two years. But coming into this year, KKR bares a settled look. They know who their openers are going to be, they know who their best bowlers are, and most importantly, they have a dependable captain in Eoin Morgan to lead them to a win. The addition of English analyst Nathan Leamon to the set-up also bodes well. Also, there are quite a few players who should have a significant say in the Market and on the field. Here's how the team could set themselves up going forward.Team Insight: Kolkata Knight Riders have an exciting pool of overseas stars, more importantly, cover in all bases. The idea behind this team is simple - building a solid core of five to six players who are genuine match-winners. Andre Russell is perhaps the best of them all, although his form is crucial to KKR'a fortunes. The new additions of Shakib Al Hasan and Harbhajan Singh also bodes well, but if KKR is to perform well in this IPL, a lot will depend on their Indian contingency.Strongest Possible XI*: Gill, Tripathi, Rana, Morgan (c), Karthik (wk), Russell, Cummins, Shakib, Varun, Mavi and PrasidhPlayers To Watch Out For:Eoin Morgan (38.90 Sixer Coins): Captain Eoin Morgan is back in the Purple and Gold of KKR, but he has a lot on his plate. Apart from ringing the changes on the field, Morgan needs to deliver with the bat as well. Morgan is the glue that holds the batting order together, although his recent form hasn't been too great. His price is down by 23.60% in his last four games and even sat out a few due to a split webbing. But the decrease coincided with Morgan batting lower down the order, which isn't the case in KKR. Watch out for the Irishman as he looks to lead from the front in IPL 2021.Andre Russell (49.40 Sixer Coins): There's none more dangerous than Andre Russell when he gets going with the bat. Although the West Indian is trading at 49.40 Sixer Coins in the Market, no one can take his ability for granted. The last time he played in India, he was awarded the IPL MVP award with his stats being out of this world. With familiarity in conditions and a possibly fitter Russell in the IPL, fantasy shareholders wouldn't mind getting his fantasy stocks in the Market!Shubman Gill (47.80 Sixer Coins): There's always something about Gill that makes him a valuable asset to any team and in any portfolio. For starters, he is among the best players of spin in the country and can play the fast bowlers with a cool head on his shoulders. For a man of his talent, Shubman Gill awaits a breakout season, a season with over 400 runs. While he has come close on a few occasions, IPL 2021 could well be his year. If he does, his fantasy stocks are bound to sell like hotcakes.Shakib Al Hasan (76.80 Sixer Coins): What KKR did in the IPL auction was simple - bring in-depth and quality options, which they certainly got with the addition of Shakib Al Hasan. Although Shakib is one of the costlier options in the Sixer Market, it only reflects his form on the field. Who can forget his ICC World Cup 2019 efforts where he notched up as many as five 100+ match scores for Bangladesh. Although opportunities would be hard to come by, expect Shakib to play a big role in slow tracks, especially in Chennai!Kolkata Knight Riders look set for a long run in this tournament. With Prasidh Krishna also recently making his India debut, he should be their preferred death bowler alongside possibly Pat Cummins. With Nitish Rana and Varun Chakravarthy set to star for KKR, the sky is the limit for the former IPL champions. Make sure you don't miss out on them in the Sixer Market!* - This is the author's opinion and has nothing to do with Sixer. The side may or may not be the final XI.
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