IPL 2023: If Punjab Kings are the regular underachievers in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been just as unreliable in recent times. Both the Punjab Kings and the Kolkata Knight Riders are in the same situation heading into the IPL 2023.
With star players out due to injury or lack of availability, club management would be scrambling to establish a healthy starting XI at the IS Bindra PCA Field in Mohali on Saturday.
Shikhar Dhawan will serve as the Punjab club’s 14th leader in the championship’s sixteenth year. While Nitish Rana has been selected as a temporary skipper by Kolkata. Usual captain Shreyas Iyer recovers from a back ailment that would keep him out for at minimum the first part of IPL 2023.
Sam Curran has grown into a sensation in the England squad over the last several months, concluding in his being selected player of the match as well as the T20 World Cup when they defeated Pakistan in the finals. And he showed no signs of slowing down.
When Punjab Kings signed the all-rounder for Rs 18.50 crore during the IPL 2023 mini-auction, he turned into the most valued cricketer in IPL history. Curran’s bowling velocity of 80mph might be considered cannon fodder.
But, the all-street rounder’s intelligence and fiery attitude to the match keep him in the match at all times.
Curran is returning to the organization after making his IPL breakthrough for the Kings against the Rajasthan Royals in 2019. In nine games that season, he got 10 wickets and contributed 95 runs.
Despite his evident potential, he remained all hope and a beautiful blue sky in 2019. He is a force to be reckoned with in 2023, and there is no limit to him.
Sam Curran vs Andre Russell battle:
Andre Russell, on the other hand, is a freak. With both his balls and bat, he can end the game in a handful of overs. His six-hitting ability has rendered him a prized asset to all franchises. But who can ignore his remarkable 5/15 performance in two overs against the Mumbai Indians in 2021?
Nevertheless, because of his ailing knees, the Caribbean all-rounder hasn’t been performing at his best in recent times. He has been at his peak in spurts and would be anxious to stay true to his lofty potential for KKR this year.
In CSK, N Jagadeesan never received that lengthier rope. He only appeared in seven games for the team before being dismissed. The 27-year-old lit up the domestic year, smashing five back-to-back List A hundred in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
And has maintained that momentum into the Ranji Trophy. The Tamil Nadu openers may receive a longer rope in the KKR’s troubled top order. Jonny Bairstow will miss the IPL this year as he recovers from a fractured leg suffered in a tragic accident while playing golf.
This creates an opening for Prabhsimran Singh, 22, who will also don the gloves. Prabhsimran has only featured six games for the Kings in 4 seasons. His T20 career scoring rate is a strong 137.94 from 41 appearances, with nine 50s and a hundred.
