As just over two weeks remain before the commencement of the Indian Premier League 2023, the players have started to assemble at the training camps for their respective franchises. But Kolkata Knight Riders must be scratching their head over the fitness status of their captain Shreyas Iyer, who is likely to miss the first few matches of the tournament.
Iyer made a comeback to the Indian team in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, after recovering from the recurring back injury that has been bothering him for some time now. But the injury resurfaced during the Ahmedabad Test, and he had to go for scans after Day 2.
We take a look at three players who can lead the Knight Riders in IPL 2023 until Iyer comes back.
Andre Russell
If fitness permits, Andre Russell is going to play every match, and he seems to be a safe bet to helm the team on a temporary basis. Even when things were not going well for the Caribbean cricketer, the franchise retained him at a fairly high price. Russell hasn’t exactly lived up to the expectations in the last few seasons, and he would be itching to repay the trust the franchise has shown in him. Boasting an experience of 98 matches, Russell can single-handedly change the game at will. His 2035 runs in the IPL have come at an astounding strike rate of 177.88. He also has 89 wickets to his name.
Nitish Rana
Nitish Rana is among the most experienced players in the franchise, who is likely to play his 100th IPL match this season, after making his debut in 2016 for Mumbai Indians. Rana has amassed over 2181 runs at a strike rate of 134, and can also chip in with his off spin bowling.
He has been a vital cog of Kolkata’s machinery and is a straightforward pick for the franchise in their playing XI. The Delhi-based batter also has the experience of leading the team in domestic cricket, and he looks like the only Indian name in this race. If the Knight Riders are sceptical about making a foreign player their captain, as many franchises are, Rana seems to be the most viable option.
Sunil Narine
Sunil Narine is another plausible option for captaincy. Narine was also appointed as the captain of the KKR’s sister franchise, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, in the ILT20, and has also led Trinbago Knight Riders on a few occasions. Narine has played the most number of matches for KKR, and has picked up 152 wickets at an economy of 6.6. One should also not forget his batting contribution that empowered the team to their maiden IPL championship.
Lead Image: Kolkata Knight Rider/Twitter
