KKRKKR team members hurdling

The IPL season 2023 is all set with the 10 powerful teams this year. The team count is extended with Lucknow Super Giants and Gujrat Titans. Team KKR has been part of IPL since its beginning. Kolkata Knight Riders were founded in 2008 when IPL was first started. The team represents Kolkata city West Bengal. Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan and actress Juhi Chawla owns the KKR franchise.

The franchise gained many fans due to its association with beloved actor Shahrukh Khan. They won the IPL trophy for the very first time in 2012 after defeating Chennai Super Kings. The team is led by Nitish Rana and Chandrakant Pandit is associated as a coach.

Past History and Achievements of KKR in IPL

KKR | SKNOWPEDIA
KKR lifting IPL trophy [Source-NDTV]

Sourav Ganguly and Brendon McCullum came together for the first match of the KKR. Since the KKR franchise’s foundation, they have won the IPL championship two times first in 2012 and again in 2014 when Andre Russell was in the team under the captaincy of Gautam Gambir. The next three years were full of hope, but KKR didn’t win another championship, and Gambhir was released before the 2018 auction. The fans are looking forward to winning their favorite team this season. There are many hopes and assumptions for their victory as they have welcomed many talented players this year like Rinku Singh and Shardul Thakur making their batting and pace game strong.

KKR faced off against RCB in the inaugural game of the IPL, and they came out on top by a massive 140-run score. The first match of KKR this season is scheduled on 1 April at Punjab Cricket Association Bindra Stadium, Mohali against Punjab Kings. They will play their final match against Lucknow Super Giants on 20 May at Edan Gardens.

KKR Match Fixtures and Venues

KKR squad at Edan Gardens [Source-India Tv News]

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is sure to be as entertaining as ever this year, and cricket followers can’t wait to see their favorite teams perform live. The season kicks off on March 31st, 2013, and the final match will be played on 28 May 2023. The IPL playoff consists of a total of 70 matches among 14 competitive teams. KKR will play its first match on 1 April against Punjab Kings at Mohali stadium. Here is the complete list of KKR match fixtures and venues:

DatesVenuesOpponent
April 1Punjab Cricket Association Bindra Stadium, Mohali
Punjab Kings 
April 6Edan Gardens, KolkataRoyal Challengers Bangalore
April 9Narendra Modi Stadium, AhmedabadGujarat Titans
April 14Edan Gardens, KolkataSunrisers Hyderabad
April 16Wankhede Stadium, MumbaiMumbai Indians
April 20Arun Jaitley Stadium, DelhiDelhi Capitals 
April 23Edan Gardens, KolkataChennai Super Kings
April 26Chinnaswamy Stadium, BengaluruRoyal Challengers Bangalore
April 29Edan Gardens, Kolkata Gujarat Titans
May 4Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, HyderabadSunrisers Hyderabad
May 8Edan Gardens, KolkataPunjab Kings
May 11Edan Gardens, KolkataRajasthan Royals
May 14M.A. Chidambaram StadiumChennai Super Kings
May 20Edan Gardens, KolkataLucknow Super Giants

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad for IPL 2023

KKR | SKNOWPEDIA
KKR squad [Source-Sportskeeda]

The KKR squad is ready to kick start their first match on 1 April against Punjab Kings at Mohali cricket stadium. The official list of players is not released yet but we can expect many names who will be seen playing in purple jerseys. KKR released Shardul Thakur and traded him to Delhi Capitals, there are a total of 13 retained players in KKR.

Retained players for KKR Team 2023 are:

  • Shreyas Iyer
  • Gurbaj
  • Rinku Singh
  • Andre Russell
  • Sunil Narine,
  • Nitish Rana
  • Anukul Roy
  • Venkatesh Iyer
  • Shardul Thakur
  • Tim Southee
  • Lockie Ferguson
  • Umesh Yadav
  • Varun Chakraborty
  • Harshit Rana
  • Shakib Al Hasan
  • Shivam Mavi
  • Mohammad Nabi
  • Chamika Karunaratne
  • Ramesh Kumar
  • Ajinkya Rahane
  • Aaron Finch

Strengths and Weaknesses of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023

The squad going to play [Source-IPL Tickets]

Kolkata Knight Riders are one of the best-performing teams in the IPL season so far, however, the last season for them was fortunate for them. Players like Shreyas Iyer and Brendon McCullum’s performance was a sigh of relief for KKR but the team couldn’t sustain for the whole season. They won many matches last season and reached closer to playoffs but in the end, they couldn’t qualify for the finals. Chandrakant Pandit has taken over as coach for KKR, so they now have a new boss. Iyer’s fitness is not clear, and KKR’s chances will depend a lot on how effectively he plays. Here is the analysis of their strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths

KKR has welcomed many talented players this season in their squad, they got Shardul Thakur from DC. Shardul is a core player his both games are strong either batting or bowling. Having David Wiese on their team may prove a game-changer for them. They also have Lockie Ferguson in the squad one of the best-performing pacers last year for Gujrat Titans.

Weaknesses

Shreyas Iyer’s health concerns may impact the team’s performance as he is one of the best batsmen in the KKR. Iyer couldn’t play for India in the last test match due to his back problem. They can’t go on for too long without him. Since he won’t be there, the spot for the leader will also be open. Tim Southee and Shakib are the most popular choices among the international players, but none of the other alternatives are safe wins.

Players to Watch out for KKR IPL 2023

KKR logo [Source- The sports lite]

KKR is one of the promising teams in the Indian Premier League with 2 championships, they have created a special place in their fan’s hearts. Fans have always given support and love to this team because of some promising players like Shreyas Iyer and owner Shahrukh Khan. In the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, the team has performed competently in IPL but last season they couldn’t make it to the finals. They won six matches out of 14 last season. This season fans may miss Shreyas Iyer for initial matches due to his back problems he is likely to miss a few matches for KKR.

Shardul Thakur will be playing for KKR for the very first time this season. He can add some significant contributions to the team. Apart from Shardul, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, and Andre Russell can sharpen their bowling and batting game.

READ ALSO: DC IPL 2023 Squad, Match Fixtures, and Venues

By Ria Kalra

I am passionate sports and entertainment writer. I love reading stories about the new trends in the world. Apart from writing, I love watching suspense thriller movies, spending time with myself, and fitness is my priority.

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