It has been a difficult build up for Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of their return to IPL action for 2023, but they will still be looking to mount a challenge.
KKR begin their IPL 2023 campaign against Punjab Kings at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on April 1.
All the talk in the last few weeks has been around their captain, Shreyas Iyer, who has suffered a back injury and could miss a substantial amount of the tournament.
They have added players like Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das and David Wiese via the IPL 2023 auction, but they will need all their stars to align if they are to make progress to the playoff stages.
Here we assess their chances in IPL 2023.
MORE: Latest betting odds for IPL 2023
KKR IPL 2023 team strengths
KKR's strength is that they have many players who can contribute effectively on both sides of the ball. They have plenty of all-rounders in their squad, but they will need them all to fire.
Players like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, David Wiese, Shakib Al Hasan and Venkatesh Iyer will likely hold the key for them.
A solid fast bowling unit through the likes of Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson could be important.
MORE: Full schedule, results, live points table from IPL 2023
KKR IPL 2023 team weaknesses
KKR's biggest problems will likely be with the bat. They do not have enough firepower, both at the top and in the middle.
KKR IPL 2023 probable team
Here's the side we expect to play most of the IPL action:
N. Jagadeesan (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee.
MORE: How to watch IPL 2023 season online and on TV | Full list of players, teams for IPL 2023
KKR players and squad for IPL 2023
Here is the KKR squad, although Shreyas Iyer remains an injury doubt.
| Name | Role | Match | Stats | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shreyas Iyer | Batsman | 101 | 2776 runs | 12.25 Crores |
| Andre Russell | All-Rounder | 98 | 2035 runs, 89 wickets | 12 Crores |
| Shardul Thakur | Bowler | 75 | 82 wickets | 10.75 Crores |
| Lockie Ferguson | Bowler | 35 | 36 wickets | 10 Crores |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-Roundere | 22 | 552 runs, 3 wickets | 8 Crores |
| Nitish Rana | Batsman | 91 | 2181 runs | 8 Crores |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Bowler | 42 | 42 wickets | 8 Crores |
| Sunil Narine | All-Rounder | 148 | 1025 runs, 152 wickets | 6 Crores |
| Umesh Yadav | Bowler | 133 | 135 wickets | 2 Crores |
| Tim Southee | Bowler | 48 | 45 wickets | 1.5 Crores |
| Shakib Al Hasan | All-Rounder | 71 | 793 runs, 63 wickets | 1.5 Crores |
| David Wiese | All-Rounder | - | Yet to play | 1 Crore |
| Narayan Jagadeeshan | WK/Batsman | 7 | 73 runs | 90 Lakhs |
| Vaibhav Arora | All-Rounder | 5 | 3 wickets | 60 Lakhs |
| Rinku Singh | Batsman | 17 | 251 runs | 55 Lakhs |
| Mandeep Singh | Batsman | 108 | 1662 runs | 50 Lakhs |
| Liton Das | WK/Batsman | - | Yet to play | 50 Lakhs |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | WK/Batsman | - | Yet to play | 50 Lakhs |
| Kulwant Khejroliya | Bowler | - | Yet to play | 20 Lakhs |
| Suyash Sharma | Bowler | - | Yet to play | 20 Lakhs |
| Anukul Roy | All-Rounder | 2 | 2 wickets | 20 Lakhs |
| Harshit Rana | Bowler | 2 | 1 wicket | 20 Lakhs |
KKR IPL 2023 betting odds
Kolkata Knight Riders are not considered to be one of the leading contenders to win this year's IPL. Here's the latest tournament odds, courtesy of Dafabet.
| Team | Pre-tournament odds (via Dafabet) |
| Royal Challengers Bangalore | 7.00 |
| Mumbai Indians | 7.50 |
| Gujarat Titans | 8.00 |
| Delhi Capitals | 8.50 |
| Chennai Super Kings | 9.00 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 9.00 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 9.00 |
| Punjab Kings | 10.00 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 11.00 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 12.00 |
See all the latest markets for IPL 2023 with Dafabet
