Kings XI Punjab went into the IPL 2020 auction with the biggest purse available and like every year, they were expected to splash a huge amount of money in acquiring the services of some of the big names.
But this time, they bought well and they bought wise to assemble an excellent squad. With Anil Kumble heading their think-tank as the Director of Cricket, they picked a few street-smart choices having spent just Rs 24.40 cr out of their available purse of Rs 42.70 cr. That sums up how clear a thought process they had behind every move they made. As a result of their tactics, they have a formidable side on paper which on their day will be a team to beat at the tournament.
Let's have a look at what their latest acquisitions offer and how they stack up in terms of squad strength and team combination.
Players Bought
- Glenn Maxwell - Rs 10.75 crore
- Sheldon Cottrell - Rs 8.50 crore
- Deepak Hooda - Rs 50 lakh
- James Neesham - Rs 50 lakh
- Ravi Bishnoi - Rs 20 lakh
- Ishan Porel - Rs 20 lakh
- Chris Jordan - Rs 3 crore
- Tarjinder Dhillon - Rs 20 lakh
- Prabhsimran Singh - Rs 55 lakh
Final KXIP Squad
KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, K Gowtham (Traded in), Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Arshdeep Singh, Hardus Viljoen, M Ashwin, J Suchith (Traded in), Harpreet Brar, Darshan Nalkande, Glenn Maxwell, Sheldon Cottrell, Deepak Hooda, James Neesham, Ishan Porel, Ravi Bishnoi, Chris Jordan, Tarjinder Dhillon, Prabhsimran Singh
Top-Order
Verdict: Solid
Kings XI Punjab had their top-order sorted even before the auction. With Chris Gayle and KL Rahul accounting for more than 45 per cent of the runs last season, they hardly had to break sweat.
Besides the duo, Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Karun Nair, Mandeep Singh and Sarfaraz Khan can all bat up the order but it will probably be Glenn Maxwell, who they signed for a whooping Rs 10.5 cr who follow the two openers at the top. Maxwell has played just three T20Is this season and has a century and two half-centuries to show for and having been with the franchise previously, is well acquainted with the scheme of things at Kings XI Punjab.
Middle and Lower-order
Verdict: Full of potential
We would most probably see players like Nicholas Pooran, James Neesham, Krishnappa Gowtham, Sarfaraz Khan and Deepak Hooda batting between in the middle order. There could be a lot of shuffling at the start of the season between these positions as KXIP would try to figure out the right combination.
Neesham may get the nod owing to his all-round skills and might be expected to don the responsibility in the middle-order alongside Gowtham who should start for KXIP. Karun Nair, Sarfraz Khan, Deepak Hooda and Mandeep Singh are also quality options they can look to in case they suffer an early double whammy on the top.
Pace-Bowlers
Verdict: Good Variety
The departure of Andrew Tye and Ankit Rajpoot ahead of the auction left a void in KXIP's pace-bowling department as they were left with just the services of Indian international Mohammed Shami.
Although they had Hardus Viljoen and Darshan Nalkande as well, but neither have the experience to be dubbed as world-class bowlers. KXIP, however, made some excellent buys in Sheldon Cottrell and Chris Jordan. The duo can be lethal in the death overs, an area Kings XI Punjab had to focus on in the auction and it will be interesting to see how KXIP use them during the tournament.
Since they both play a similar role, only one can be slotted into the XI given the other three would be split between Gayle, Maxwell and either Pooran or Neesham. The acquisition of young Ishan Porel adds their depth in the department as well. The Bengal pacer has been a very good performer at the domestic circuit. He is an economical bowler and has the ability to pick up wickets at a steady rate too.
Spinners
Verdict: Underrated but excellent options
This is one area where Kings XI Punjab can be happy with the options they have on board. Besides Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Gowtham, J Suchith and Murugan Ashwin, they have now reinforced it with rookie spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who although may not get a game, but is a good option to keep at hand. There’s also the option that Maxwell provides now that he is on board and can always be a go-to option for skipper KL Rahul.
Special Mention
Kings XI Punjab had released Prabhsimran Singh ahead of the auction but they bought him back at a much lower price. A highly talented batsman who keeps wickets as well, Prabhsimran couldn't get a game last season and will be hopeful for a change of fortunes this time around.
Probable Playing XI
KL Rahul (C & wk), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Glenn Maxwell, James Neesham/Nicholas Pooran, Sarfaraz Khan/Deepak Hooda, Krishnappa Gowtham, Chris Jordan/Sheldon Cottrell, Murugan Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Darshan Nalkande/Ishan Porel
Overall Verdict
KXIP look like a decent unit but will have to emerge out of the bubble of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul at the top. Like last season, despite the duo firing in tandem, KXIP failed to cross the finishing line yet again. The likes of Maxwell and Cottrell will provide width in their quality though and on their day can prove to be real game-changers.
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