The Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) entered into the IPL 2020 auction with the deepest pockets amongst the 8 IPL teams. They came into the fray with a purse of INR 43 crore. This allowed the franchise to bid heavily for top picks and Glenn Maxwell was the costliest buy for them this time. Their second costliest pick was Sheldon Cottrell, the fast bowler from West Indies.
The team’s head coach Anil Kumble has stated that his team needs more firepower in the middle order. This is the reason that they went all out for Maxwell. With a new coach and captain, Kings XI Punjab would be hoping to put up a stellar show this year. Interestingly, they have also roped in Jonty Rhodes and Wasim Jaffer as their new batting and fielding coaches respectively.
Since the last two IPL seasons, the left-right combination of Rahul and Gayle has done wonders. Rahul has been the leading and most explosive batsman for the Punjab-based franchise. However, Rahul will face a new challenge this year as he has to lead the team. This may come as a burden and can hamper the free playing style of the talented young batsman. On the other hand, Gayle has not been at his very best last year. He got the starts but didn’t capitalize on them. So, 2020 may be the year when Gayle will be at his explosive best.
However, this amazing opening combination continues to be the real strength of KXIP.
The team has a good mix of youth and experience and ample depth with a squad size of 25. They bought nine players in all at the auctions, 8 of which were foreign origin players.
Even after a brilliant opening half in 2019, the Kings XI Punjab had a horrid season overall. This is the reason why they have invested heavily on all-rounders this time including Kiwi James Neesham and KC Gowtham. They will be playing most of their matches with the combination of 6 batsmen and 5 bowlers.
Note that Kings XI Punjab went all out in purchasing Gowtham from Rajasthan Royals. It can obviously prove to be a smart move. Thus, they have solidified their lower middle order with the introduction of reputed players into their lineup. Notably, all these players can bat at any position and can clear the ground whenever the need arises.
KXIP has a pretty balanced setup. A likely squad would be Rahul and Gayle at the top followed by a solid middle order in Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Krishnappa Gowtham and Glenn Maxwell. Mohammed Shami lends a lot of heft to the bowling while Deepak Hooda may come in handy as well. The remaining slots could go to the likes of Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Sheldon Cottrell who will partner Shami in the initial overs. Nicholas Pooran will be a strong contender since he can keep wickets and is an explosive batsman as well.
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