Kolkata: Defending IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have retained a roster of six key players ahead of the 2024 Tata IPL Mega Auction, acknowledging both the difficulty of leaving players out and the strategic necessity to focus on core team continuity.
Venky Mysore, KKR’s CEO, elaborated on the team’s retention policy, sharing insights into the selection process and challenges posed by league rules.
Responding to whether six retentions felt limiting for the defending champions, Mysore admitted, "In an ideal world, we would have wanted the whole team back. But... making those decisions within the parameters provided makes it definitely challenging."
He noted that KKR prioritised their most trusted and impactful players, despite tough decisions on some favorites left out.
The retained players include seasoned campaigners Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, each with over a decade of association with KKR, alongside Varun Chakaravarthy, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh.
Explaining the choices, Mysore said, "The no-brainers were maybe 10 or 11 players, but trimming that down to six was very challenging." The combination, he asserted, balances experience and proven capability, with Harshit and Ramandeep now representing India.
KKR enters the auction with a budget of ?51 crore and no Right-To-Match cards, but Mysore remains optimistic. "Our challenge will be to complete our squad... All we can do is say that this is what we have decided, this is the money that we are going in with, and this is the kind of squad that we want to build," he explained.
With changes in the coaching lineup, Gautam Gambhir, Ryan ten Doeschate, and Abhishek Nayar are no longer part of the support staff, while DJ Bravo joins the think tank, which continues under the guidance of Chandrakant Pandit.
Mysore credited the coaching staff’s strategic involvement, remarking, "The think tank has been very engaged and very strong in the discussions... I know that with the think tank and the support from the owners, we will come up with a good plan."
As KKR prepares for the auction, they look to preserve the blend of continuity and fresh strategy that has brought success in past seasons, ensuring a competitive stance to defend their title.