The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made a strong start to the Indian Premier League 2022, winning three of their first four league games. However, they quickly lost their way and suffered five consecutive losses despite ordinary performances from both departments of the game. The second half saw them being uneven in every alternate game and securing only six wins in 14 league meetings. As a result, they were unable to advance to the playoffs.
Throughout the season, the Knight Riders lacked a consistent starting pair, with the majority of them failing to provide the team with a decent start. Death bowling issues cost the two-time champions dearly, as they were unable to put a stop to the opposition in the final innings. Going forward, team management is expected to release some players based on their team’s combination and player form in the second half of the season.
Let’s take a look at some of the players that we think will be released from the KKR squad for next season.
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Number 1. Ajinkya Rahane
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Since his IPL debut, the veteran has attempted to play second fiddle to his companion. In most cases, he has succeeded, but it has not helped his respective teams cross the finish line. The 33-year contract was purchased by KKR at a base price of 1 crore in the IPL 2022 auction.
Rahane began the tournament against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with a hit of 44 off 34 balls, which helped the side win. However, in his following four innings, he batted 9, 12, 7, and 8. These blows compelled team management to remove him from the starting lineup.
The top-order batter scored a total of 53 runs in the last two innings, on 48 balls. The hamstring injury held him out of contention for the team’s last league game. He is another player who is unlikely to be retained by the Knight Riders after allowing only 133 runs in seven innings.
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Number 2. Aaron Finch
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Aaron Finch, Australia’s white-ball captain, became the first player in IPL history to play for a record nine clubs. This can likely account for his lack of runs for each side he has represented in the event. Finch replaced Alex Hales in the KKR squad ahead of the 2022 season for a basic price of 1.5 crores.
He had a seven-run outing in his first inning of the season. However, appearing at his best, the 35-year-old hitter scored 58 runs off 28 balls in the following game against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). His following three scores, however, were read as 3, 0, and 14.
The team’s lack of contribution at the opening position was clearly hurting them, as they dropped Finch throughout the tournament’s vital phases. He has not played in the last three league matches and is expected to be released by the team before the start of the next IPL season.
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Number 3. Shivam Mavi
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Many young pacers were recognized for their achievements in the IPL 2022. However, a couple of them were ordinary and were unable to demonstrate their talent or contribute to the team’s success. Shivam Mavi is one such bowler who has been with the KKR club since the 2018 season.
Mavi had 11 wickets in 10 appearances in the 2021 edition at a fantastic economy of 7.24 and was expected to be the team’s major bowler in this edition as well. Mavi routinely gave up 30+ runs per game and only took four wickets in his first five matches.
Mavi was bowled out for 50 runs in four overs against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in his sixth game. He was immediately pulled from the team after scoring 30 runs in one of the overs, including five sixes. He did not appear in KKR’s final three league matches. As a result, the team’s management is expected to hire a different player to bolster their fast bowling arsenal in the coming season.
