Kolkata Knight Riders' Title Defence Shrouded in Irony and Unwelcome Churn

What's New with Kolkata Knight Riders in the New Cycle?

Losing your captain after winning a championship is almost reckless. KKR couldn't convince Shreyas Iyer to stay, and the irony of their mega auction was hard to miss. They spent it trying to rebuild their title-winning core, only to start the next season without the man who led them to victory.

The Best XII as Things Stand

• Sunil Narine
• Quinton de Kock (wk)
• Ajinkya Rahane (c)
• Venkatesh Iyer
• Angkrish Raghuvanshi
• Rinku Singh
• Andre Russell
• Ramandeep Singh
• Spencer Johnson
• Vaibhav Arora
• Harshit Rana
• Varun Chakaravarthy

Injury/Availability Concerns

• Umran Malik is out of the season, replaced by Chetan Sakariya.
• Anrich Nortje is returning from injuries, but his immediate availability is uncertain.

The Player with a Point to Prove is…

Venkatesh Iyer, the most expensive player in the dugout, has a lot to prove in the pressure cooker of IPL. He has familiarity with KKR, having been with the team for four years, but a true breakthrough season hasn't come yet.

A Player Who Could Have a Breakout Season?

Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 20, has already shown his power with a 54 off 27 in his second IPL match. He has little to prove and seems to have the license to go all out.

Fixture Build-up and Run-in…

KKR's itinerary involves more trips to the airport than last season, which could affect their momentum. They'll want to avoid leaving things too late this time around.

A Home Ground Stat to Watchout for This Season

Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine have defied the odds at the Eden Gardens, holding their own even as the Impact Player rule and rising run-rates have made life tougher.