IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra reveals his ideal KKR playing XI for season opener against CSK

Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra picked his ideal playing XI for Kolkata Knight Riders for the first game of this year’s edition against the defending champions Chennai Super Kings. KKR will not have the services of Alex Hales who has pulled out of the tournament citing bio-bubble fatigue, while his replacement Aaron Finch will be available only after the first five games. Pat Cummins will have to go into quarantine after arriving from Pakistan and he will not be available either.

This means that KKR is likely to go in with the veteran Ajinkya Rahane as the opener alongside Venkatesh Iyer as the right-hand left-hand combination for the first few games at least. Rahane, who has lost his place in the Indian side in all three formats, will have a golden chance of redeeming himself and getting back to the player he used to be. The other worry for KKR will be their Indian pacer to partner Shivam Mavi. With all his experience, Umesh Yadav is likely to get the nod.

Make Rahane open, it is his ground, he knows this ground: Aakash Chopra

Chopra noted that Rahane should open alongside Venky Iyer considering the unavailability of Finch and felt that the Mumbaikar’s experience at his home ground (Wankhede Stadium) will definitely work in his favour. He also brought in Sri Lankan all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne as the replacement for Cummins for the first few games.

“I am seeing Ajinkya Rahane opening alongside Venkatesh Iyer because Finch is not there. So make Rahane open, it is his ground, he knows this ground. Keep Shreyas Iyer at No. 3 and Nitish Rana should play at No. 4. After that, all your four overseas players one after the other – Sam Billings, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Chamika Karunaratne. Then Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Shivam Mavi,” Chopra told on his YouTube Channel.

Chopra reckoned that KKR has a lot of variety with seven bowling options in the playing XI and suggested the unit should play a lot more freely with a long batting order. He also has predicted Indian pacer Umesh to find his mojo back in IPL 2022 after being benched in the last two seasons.

“The team looks alright to me, the depth is seen in the batting if they play freely. They have variety in the bowling, two mystery spinners in the form of Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, Chamika Karunaratne is a medium pacer, so you have Andre Russell. Nitish Rana and Venkatesh Iyer can also bowl a little. So a lot of depth in batting and plenty of variations in the bowling. If Umesh Yadav has a good year, then this year is going to be extremely good for this team, that’s what I feel,” he added.

Aakash Chopra’s KKR XI: Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Sam Billings (wk), Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Chamika Karunaratne, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Shivam Mavi.