After finishing fifth at the end of the league phase in IPL 2019, Dinesh Karthik's side missed out on the playoffs. And in IPL 2020, they'll be hell-bent on making a deep run into the tournament that could see them claim their first title since the 2014 season under Gautam Gambhir.
In this article, we carefully analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the KKR squad ahead of IPL 2020.
KKR in IPL 2020: Strengths
#1 KKR arguably have IPL 2020's two best all-rounders
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Narine was in splendid form in the ongoing Caribbean Premier League before he had a health issue that ruled him out of many games in the middle of the tournament. While Russell hasn't yet displayed the form that he had in IPL 2019 in this year's IPL, the big all-rounder can win games in the matter of a few overs.
The IPL's best teams always have world-class all-rounders, and KKR have the cream of the crop.
Apart from Narine and Russell, Dinesh Karthik can also call upon Chris Green, who has captained the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL. The Australian off-spinner might not get games early on in IPL 2020, but he is certainly a quality T20 player.
Even Pat Cummins, who is guaranteed to play almost all games for KKR, is handy with the bat, while Kamlesh Nagarkoti's all-round skills have garnered praise from experts.
#2 KKR's depth in overseas players is almost unmatched
Pat Cummins, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Chris Green, Eoin Morgan, Tom Banton and Lockie Ferguson - KKR have perhaps the best overseas contingent in IPL 2020.
The team, which is yet to announce a replacement for Harry Gurney, will see healthy competition for the 4 overseas slots in the XI, although 3 are all but finalised in the lead-up to the tournament. KKR's foreign players are also highly experienced, with Eoin Morgan also England's captain in the white-ball formats.
KKR's depth in overseas players will ensure that they can give the Indian players, who are arguably lesser in quality, extended runs of games.
KKR in IPL 2020: Weaknesses
#1 KKR's Indian batting contingent looks thin
Despite their immense quality in overseas players, KKR still have to fill the remaining spots with Indian players, and they are found wanting in the batting department.
Apart from captain Dinesh Karthik, who will have to play the role of the finisher, only Shubman Gill and Nitish Rana have some degree of IPL experience. The releases of Chris Lynn and Robin Uthappa have left their batting lineup devoid of experience and aggression, and it remains to be seen if Rana and Gill can take up the responsibility on their young shoulders.
Rinku Singh, Siddhesh Lad, Rahul Tripathi and Nikhil Naik are the only other options, and most of them haven't had sufficient IPL experience. With Rana uncapped and Gill having not much international experience, Karthik might have to do most of the work.
#2 KKR might not have the necessary depth in the spin department
KKR have always been a team that has relied on quality spinners, often fielding a three-pronged spin attack consisting of Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav at the Eden Gardens.
Chawla is now part of the Chennai Super Kings, and KKR chose to replace him with Tamil Nadu mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who has bowled only three overs in the IPL so far. Chris Green is another option, but he might not make the playing XI in the presence of other quality options.
M Siddharth is the only other Indian tweaker at KKR's disposal, and he is uncapped at the IPL level. Even Kuldeep, who is expected to be one of the leaders of the spin attack, picked up only 4 wickets in 9 IPL games last season, at an economy rate of 8.66.
KKR might not be able to play to their strengths in IPL 2020, especially with the conditions expected to favour the spinners in the UAE.
KKR in IPL 2020: Opportunities
#1 KKR's young stars can redeem themselves in IPL 2020
Since the departure of Gautam Gambhir, KKR under Dinesh Karthik have placed significant emphasis on youth, and the likes of Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill have turned heads with their performances in the IPL.
Their young fast bowlers, however, have been investments that haven't generated returns yet. Shivam Mavi has played in a few games and has shown why he is one of the most highly talked-about prospects in the country, but injuries and lack of consistency have hindered his development.
His partner, Kamlesh Nagarkoti has been stricken by injuries even more. The young quick is said to be useful with the bat and electric in the field, but hasn't gotten a chance to prove himself in the IPL. The bowler who has stepped in for KKR in the absence of Mavi and Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna, has been expensive despite intermittent brilliant spells.
For these players, as well as the likes of Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh and Siddhesh Lad, IPL 2020 is an opportunity for them to show what they are capable of. They will get chances to prove themselves, and it'll be up to them to make the most of them.
#2 KKR have the chance to replace Harry Gurney with someone who can address their issues
After England pacer Harry Gurney was ruled out of IPL 2020, KKR attempted to replace him with fellow left-armer Mustafizur Rahman, but the Bangladesh Cricket Board denied him an NOC. This might turn out to be a blessing in disguise for KKR, who already have Pat Cummins and Lockie Ferguson to support their wealth of Indian fast-bowling talent.
Instead of a quick, KKR can replace Gurney with a player who could address their Indian batting or spin issues. Former player Yusuf Pathan, hometown batsman and club legend Manoj Tiwary, or Indian Test specialist Hanuma Vihari are all viable options whom KKR could look at and strengthen their squad further.
#3 Captain Dinesh Karthik has a lot riding on IPL 2020
For captain Dinesh Karthik, IPL 2020 is a crucial tournament in more ways than one. KKR entrusted him with the captaincy after Gambhir's highly successful reign, and he must justify their faith by a run deep into the tournament.
In the wake of MS Dhoni's official retirement from international cricket and Rishabh Pant's poor form for India, the wicket-keeper can also make a comeback to the white-ball teams. Leadership can elevate Dinesh Karthik's game in IPL 2020 and not only can he captain KKR to their third IPL title but also revive his own career in blue.
KKR in IPL 2020: Threats
#1 KKR might turn out to be too reliant on Andre Russell and Sunil Narine
Last year, KKR often looked to Andre Russell and Sunil Narine to bail them out of impossible situations, and both players exceeded expectations with both bat and ball.
But this isn't necessarily a good thing, and KKR might be over-reliant on their West Indian superstars. The team can take a leaf out of the book of the Chennai Super Kings, who have had a different player stepping up to win the side the game in almost every encounter.
It remains to be seen if KKR's supporting cast can live up to the task at hand.
#2 KKR don't have a settled team combination heading into IPL 2020
While the overseas combination is largely settled for KKR in IPL 2020 (the final slot should be a three-way battle between Tom Banton, Chris Green and Eoin Morgan), the Indian part of the XI is still far from decided.
In Mavi, Nagarkoti and Krishna, KKR have a problem of plenty, and backing one (or two) of them could stagnate the careers of the others. Even in the batting department, the same phenomenon could hinder some players' careers.
KKR must be careful in team selection, and they must ensure that they make sensible, thought-out decisions.
#3 KKR's backups haven't proven themselves yet
Another aspect of their squad that might be detrimental to their chances in IPL 2020, KKR's bench isn't exactly solid. As mentioned earlier, the batting backups of Nikhil Naik, Siddhesh Lad and Rinku Singh don't inspire confidence, while the likes of Sandeep Warrier and M Siddharth haven't done enough to warrant a place in the XI even if one should present itself.
In IPL 2020, which is happening after a very long break, KKR will need to rest some of their key players, which might not be possible given their bench strength.
