KKR Playing XI vs CSK – IPL 2022: Shreyas Iyer faces BIG SELECTION dilemma ahead of KKR debut –KKR’s new captain Shreyas Iyer will have a huge task at hand as he prepares for his debut with the franchise in the IPL 2022. KKR plays Chennai Super Kings in season opener but will be without Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch.
IPL 2022 – CSK vs KKR LIVE: Who will open for KKR? KKR has lost Shubman Gill to Gujarat Titans. Rahul Tripathi was also picked up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2022 auction. Aaron Finch is also not available for first 5 matches of IPL 2022.
Who partners Iyer? Venkatesh Iyer will continue to open despite his shift to the middle order for India.
- According to reports coming in from KKR camp, team wants to once try out Ajinkya Rahane as opener. But with Sunil Narine in side and his performance in BPL to back him – it will be difficult for KKR to look beyond him.
- Also Rahane hasn’t had much game time in the past couple of seasons at Delhi Capitals. He will hope that a shift in teams will help him change his fortunes.
- 3rd option for KKR could be Sam Billings. Billings has opened in past and can be a great choice for KKR.
Meanwhile middle order for KKR is all sorted. Nitish Rana and Shreyas Iyer are expected to slot in at No.3 and 4, with Sam Billings likely to follow.
The Englishman is also expected to don the gloves, with Sheldon Jackson and Baba Indrajith being KKR’s only other options.
West Indian duo Andre Russell and Sunil Narine will chip in as finishers and round up the batting order.
With Pat Cummins out, Tim Southee will spearhead the attack in his absence, with Shivam Mavi and Varun Chakravarthy for support.
Umesh Yadav should fill in the final spot in the line-up adding more pace to the attack.
KKR Playing XI vs CSK: No Cummins, Finch as new captain Shreyas Iyer faces BIG SELECTION dilemma ahead of KKR debut vs CSK – Follow Live Updates
Predicted KKR Playing XI vs CSK
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Shreyas Iyer
- Nitish Rana
- Sam Billings (WK)
- Andre Russell
- Sunil Narine
- Tim Southee
- Shivam Mavi
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Umesh Yadav
Strengths and weaknesses:
KKR Strength: In Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, KKR have a solid core with Sam Billings also joining in as a keeper-batsman. Furthermore, while all are destructive batters, in Narine and Russell, KKR have two genuine all-rounders who guarantee a minimum of six overs of each game adding a great deal of flexibility.
KKR Weaknesses: However, the first XI features two Indian stalwarts who have managed a combined 23 games over the last two IPL seasons.
Rahane played 11 games for Delhi scoring 121 runs at a strike rate of less than 105, while Umesh did not play a single game in the 2021 season. In 2020, he featured in two games but went wicketless at an economy of 11.85.
There are not many options on the bench with domestic stalwarts Rinku Singh, Sheldon Jackson and Baba Indrajith in the ranks. The bowling is even thinner with Rasikh Salam, Ashok Sharma being the only other Indian pace options.