Kings XI Punjab eye their maiden IPL title with a new-look squad
Despite being a star-studded franchise, Kings XI Punjab is yet to lift their first IPL trophy. Their best shot at the silverware was in the IPL 2014 where Kolkata Knight Riders pipped them to the championship in the high-scoring final. Apart from 2014, KXIP’s only top-four finish was in the inaugural IPL edition. The side enjoyed a splendid outing in the player auction 2019 and will hope to go the distance in IPL 2019.
With Ravichandran Ashwin leading the side, Kings XI Punjab is packed with the mystery element. They purchased Varun Chakravarthy for 8.4 crores who was a sensation for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket. In combination with Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Ashwin and Chakravarthy form a lethal spin trio. KXIP also purchased the English all-rounder Sam Curran for a whopping price of 7.2 crores.
Strengths:
Punjab has a concrete Indian core which features plenty of international talents. The batting unit consists of KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair. All three Karnataka batsmen are known for their appetite for scoring big. In Chris Gayle, KXIP possesses the legend of T20 cricket. The franchise has strengthened its bowling lineup with the addition of Mohammad Shami. He will pair up with Australia’s ace death bowler Andrew Tye.
David Miller is another prominent name in the batting lineup. Spin department is the heart of this side. Other than three mystery spinners mentioned above, they also have Murugan Ashwin. The leggie from Tamil Nadu can also swing his bat around for few quick runs. Nicholas Pooran is another exciting talent from the Caribbean whose performance will be keenly followed.
Weaknesses:
Lack of an established Indian all-rounder will trouble the Kings XI Punjab’s team management. Both the genuine all-rounders, Moises Henriques and Sam Curran, are overseas players and only one is likely to be included in the final playing XI. The franchise has also stacked up a lot of players with a similar profile. They are loaded with middle-order batsmen and mystery spinners. The team shall face the selection conundrum on most occasions.
X-Factor:
KXIP roster is packed with matchwinners. Chris Gayle requires no introduction; he has decimated almost every bowling attack. Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Varun Chakravarthy and Nicholas Pooran are still unknown quantities who can surprise their opponents. 18-year old Prabhsimran Singh, who was bought for 4.2 crores, will be another player to watch out for.
The full squad of Kings XI Punjab:
Batsmen:
Chris Gayle
Mayank Agarwal
Karun Nair
Sarfaraz Khan
David Miller
Mandeep Singh
All-rounders:
Sam Curran
Moises Henriques
Harpreet Brar
Agnivesh Ayachi
Darshan Nalkande
Wicketkeepers:
KL Rahul
Nicholas Pooran
Prabhsimran Singh
Fast bowlers:
Andrew Tye
Ankit Rajpoot
Mohammed Shami
Hardus Viljoen
Spin bowlers:
Mujeeb Ur Rehman
Varun Chakravarthy
Murugan Ashwin
Arshdeep Singh
Ravichandran Ashwin
