Kolkata Knight Riders

The Indian Premier League is back with a bang in 2023, and all eyes are on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who are aiming to make a mark this season.

KKR is a franchise cricket team that represents the city of Kolkata in the IPL and is known for its celebrity Kolkata Knight Riders owners, Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, and Jay Mehta.

The team has had a mixed record in recent years, with two championship titles under their belt but also a few disappointing seasons.

In this article, we will provide a detailed preview of the KKR squad and players for IPL 2023. We will also discuss the team’s strengths and weaknesses, the predicted starting lineup, and KKR’s odds to win the IPL 2023.

Additionally, we will highlight the top betting sites to bet on KKR matches and provide KKR match predictions. So, get ready for an exciting ride as we delve into the world of KKR and their quest for IPL glory in 2023.

KKR Odds to Win IPL 2023

The latest IPL betting odds suggest that KKR are not among the top contenders for the title. According to 20Bet, KKR are listed at odds of 17.00.

This puts them behind other top teams like the Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and the Lucknow Super Giants.

One reason for this is the lack of depth in KKR’s batting lineup. They are relying on a small group of batsmen who underperformed last season to deliver significantly better results this year.

The lack of real power in their top order could also put pressure on the lower order to up the scoring rate later on if KKR is to reach competitive totals.

However, KKR does possess a variety of match-winners with the ball, and they have strengthened in that area with the additions of Lockie Ferguson and Shardul Thakur.

Also, KKR finds themselves in Group A for the IPL 2023 season, which could be an advantage as Group B is considered slightly weaker.

Additionally, KKR can benefit from playing on their home pitch at Eden Gardens, which has traditionally favored bowlers. Nonetheless, despite these factors, KKR’s deficiencies in their batting line-up may make it difficult for them to sustain a challenge for the playoffs.

KKR Match Betting Sites

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad for 2023

KKR full Squad and KKR Players for 2023 IPL: Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Rasikh Dar, Baba Indrajith, Chamika Karunaratne, Abhijeet Tomar, Pratham Singh, Ashok Sharma, Sam Billings, Aaron Finch, Tim Southee, Ramesh Kumar, Mohammad Nabi, Umesh Yadav, Aman Khan.

The Kolkata Knight Riders players in 2023 are ready to showcase their talents in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR did most of their business before the auction, bringing in Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

The franchise retained Sunil Narine and Andre Russell while releasing players like Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, and Sam Billings. The franchise also released Shivam Mavi but failed to re-acquire him in the auction.

KKR addressed their wicket-keeping woes by acquiring Narayan Jagadeesan and Liton Das. They also added all-around options in Shakib Al Hasan and David Wiese, both of whom give KKR flexibility to balance their side. Vaibhav Arora was also signed to fill the void left by Shivam Mavi.

Chandrakant Pandit has been appointed as Head Coach of KKR, and the team will be captained by Shreyas Iyer, who was acquired by the franchise for INR 12.25 crore. The former Delhi Capitals captain is an explosive batsman who is expected to lead from the front.

KKR’s predicted XI for IPL 2023 is as follows: Venkatesh Iyer will open the batting, and KKR will be hoping that he can regain the form that saw him take the team to the final in 2021.

Narine and Russell will provide firepower in the middle order, while Varun Chakravarthy will lead the spin attack. Shakib Al Hasan and David Wiese will be the all-round options, while the pace bowling duties will be shared by Lockie Ferguson and Vaibhav Arora.

In the auction, KKR signed Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma, and Kulwant Khejroliya, but they are unlikely to get a lot of game time. KKR’s squad for 2023 is well-balanced and has a good mix of experience and youth.

Kolkata Knight Riders Betting Tips IPL 2023

Here are the tips if you are betting on KKR:

Kkr Top Runscorer Betting Tip

The veteran Ajinkya Rahane and skipper Iyer are serious threats but we prefer the chances of Venkatesh Iyer. The left-handed batsman has been impeccable for KKR.

Recommended Bet: Venkatesh Iyer to be KKR’s top batsman

Kkr top Wicket-taker Betting Tip

Narine could well hit back this campaign. He hasn’t played much cricket outside of IPL and CPL duties this last year so has had plenty of time to work on his fitness and his action.

This is the man who is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in IPL history with 143 wickets and with a full campaign at his beloved Eden Gardens.

Expect him to come close to 20 wickets which could well be enough.

Recommended Betting Tip: Sunil Narine to be KKR’s highest wicket-taker

How did KKR Perform in IPL 2022?

• Most runs:  Shreyas Iyer (401)
• Most wickets: Andre Russell (17)
• Highest individual score: Shreyas Iyer, 85 vs Rajasthan Royals
• Best Bowling Figures: Andre Russell, 5-4 vs Gujarat Titans

The team has had a mixed performance with the bat, as most of their players have struggled to find consistency in their form.

The Kolkata Knight Riders players tried multiple combinations in their top order with limited success. Venkatesh Iyer, who had impressed in the previous season, failed to find his rhythm, and the likes of Finch, Billings, and Narine were used as openers with little impact.

Nitesh Rana had his moments of brilliance, but he has yet to cross the 400-run mark in a season, which is a significant benchmark.

Shreyas Iyer was the only player to achieve this feat last season, with three 50-plus scores. Pat Cummins had a memorable moment, scoring the fastest 50 in IPL history in just 14 balls.

On the bowling front, Umesh Yadav was instrumental in KKR’s early success, taking nine of his 16 IPL 2022 wickets during the first four games.

Tim Southee and Andre Russell also contributed well, with Southee taking 14 wickets at a strike rate of 15 and Russell leading the wicket-taking stakes with 17 scalps. However, KKR’s bowlers lacked penetration in the middle overs, and Cummins struggled to maintain his form.