Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was the first IPL team to have the razzmatazz. With superstar owners like Shahrukh Khan and Juhi Chawla, their fan base was huge, with fans across many countries. However, their performance was lacking in the first three seasons, where they failed to reach the playoffs.
As the years progressed, they adapted and won the trophy in 2012 and 2014. Thanks to some of the overseas players they had bought, mainly Andre Russel and Sunil Narine. In IPL 2024, they have assembled quality overseas players, hoping to land a third title. This blog will look at KKR overseas players in the new season.
Comprehensive List of KKR Overseas Players in IPL 2024
In the 2024 auction, KKR paid a whopping ₹24.75 crore to Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. They also brought in Sherfane Rutherford as a backup to Andre Russell. Here’s the complete list of KKR overseas players in IPL 2024.
- Andre Russell
- Sunil Narine
- Mitchell Starc
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Phil Salt
- Sherfane Rutherford
- Dushmantha Chameera
We look at each of the KKR overseas players closely:
Andre Russell:
Andre Russell is a one-man army who can bat any opposition out single-handedly. Bought by KKR in 2014 for ₹60 lakhs, Russell’s brand value grew leaps and bounds, and by the time he was retained a decade later, he was paid ₹12 crore. He has been a little inconsistent of late. He accounted for 335 runs in 2022; a year later, he scored 227. The fans would want the real Russell to stand up and deliver in 2024.
Sunil Narine:
Sunil Narine is another West Indian with legendary status in the franchise. The 35-year-old, who made his KKR debut in 2012, is the highest wicket-taker for the franchise. Narine is the most unorthodox spinner in the IPL, known to bowl flipper and a carrom ball. Just like Russell, he too will have to be a little consistent, as he picked up 16 wickets in 2021 only to pick just nine the following year. In 2023, he picked up 11 wickets at an economy of almost 8, which is expensive for someone like him.
Mitchell Starc:
Mitchell Starc triggered a bidding war and overtook his close friend Pat Cummins in the auction. Cummins, who earned ₹20.5 crore from SRH, saw himself getting dwarfed as Starc attracted a number of bidsIt must be said that this is not the first time KKR has bid for him. KKR had picked him up in the 2018 auction, but the pacer pulled out due to an injury. A lot is riding on Starc, who will lead the KKR pace attack in the new season.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz warmed the bench in the 2022 season and saw GT win the title. But he was traded to KKR the following season and got game time. Opening the innings, he scored 227 runs in 11 games for the two-time champions. In the IPL 2024 season, the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter, retained for ₹50 lakhs, would be keen to stay in the middle for a long time instead of blasting his way to a cameo.
Phil Salt:
All set to replace his compatriot Jason Roy, Phil Salt struggled in the recently concluded SA20. However, this completely contrasted his performance in England’s T20Is against West Indies in December 2023. He slammed a century in the five-match series. A few days later, the IPL owners ignored him, paying no heed to his classy knock. As it turned out, fate had other ideas, as Roy was eventually ruled out. Salt, who played for Delhi Capitals in 2023, scored 218 runs in nine matches in his first IPL season. With a strike rate of 164, he is a good replacement for Roy.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman:
Despite having the likes of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, the KKR side needed someone who could act as a backup to the duo. Who could have been better than Mujeeb? The spinner has the ability to bowl flat and fast. With some IPL experience, he was a value buy at ₹2 crore. The 22-year-old, who has played for Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, has 19 IPL wickets with an economy of 8.
Sherfane Rutherford:
Sherfane Rutherford didn’t find a single taker in the 2023 auction. A year later, he was signed by KKR for ₹1.5 crore, thanks to his ability to hit the ball hard. The Caribbean batter played his first IPL match in the 2019 season for Delhi Capitals, where he made just 73 runs in seven games. In 2022, he was part of RCB but played only a few games. Rutherford is also a part-time medium pacer.
Dushmantha Chameera:
Like Rutherford, Dushmantha Chameera went unsold in the 2023 auction. But KKR secured his services in the following auction. He is likely to be the backup all-rounder in the squad. Chameera was part of the RR and RCB squad in the 2018 and 2021 seasons, but he failed to get a game. In 2022, Chameera played his first IPL match and finished the season with nine wickets and scored 43 runs in 12 outings for Lucknow Super Giants.
FAQs about KKR Overseas Players in the IPL 2024
1.Who are the KKR overseas players in IPL 2024?
Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Mitchell Starc, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Phil Salt, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sherfane Rutherford, and Dushmantha Chameera are KKR’s overseas players in the IPL 2024 season.
2.Who was KKR’s most expensive overseas player in IPL 2024 auction?
Mitchell Starc is the most expensive overseas player at KKR in the IPL 2024 auction. KKR paid ₹24.75 crore to secure Starc’s services.
3.Who is the most popular overseas player in the KKR squad?
Andre Russell is the most popular overseas player in the KKR squad.