IPL 2020: Aakash Chopra picks ideal playing XI for Kolkata Knight Riders

Former Indian opener and now commentator has picked an ideal playing XI for Kolkata Knight Riders for the upcoming season of the IPL 2020. Chopra picked Shubman Gill and Sunil Narine as the openers for KKR. Gill has impressed with his skills and he has scored 499 runs in 27 IPL matches. Narine has also done a fine job for KKR as he has scored 771 runs in 110 IPL matches and he has also scalped 122 wickets.

Chopra wants Nitish Rana to bat one down for Dinesh Karthik-led team. The southpaw has scored 1085 runs in 46 IPL matches at an average of 28.55 and strike rate of 134.62.

Chopra wants KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik to bat at number four in the batting order. Karthik has scored 3654 runs in 182 IPL matches at an average of 27.06. England’s World Cup winning captain Eoin Morgan bats at number five in Aakash Chopra’s ideal playing XI.

Morgan can hit the ground running and he will add value to the team. The left-hander has scored 854 runs in 52 IPL matches.

At number six, Chopra wants to bat KKR’s talisman all-rounder Andre Russell, who was in prolific form in the last season. The West Indies player had scored more 510 runs in the previous edition and he is going to hold the key for KKR. Russell has scored 1400 runs in 64 IPL matches.

Chopra feels KKR will have a slight issue for their number seven batsman. The commentator stated that the team can play Siddesh Lad, Rahul Tripathi or Rinku Singh at number seven.

Pat Cummins, who had become the most expensive overseas player in the IPL after he was acquired for a whopping amount of INR 15.50 crores, will be Chopra’s number eight. Cummins has scalped 17 wickets in 16 IPL matches and he is the number one Test bowler in the world.

Chopra wants Kuldeep Yadav to be KKR’s main spinner. Yadav hasn’t been in the best of forms in the recent past and he would aim to turn the tables. Prasidh Krishna will be the 10th player in the team for Chopra. The commentator wants to have three choices for the 11th player as he named Sandeep Warrier, Kamlesh Nagarkot and Shivam Mavi.

Aakash Chopra’s ideal Kolkata Knight playing XI: Sunil Narine, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik, Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh/Siddhesh Lad/Rahul Tripathi, Pat Cummins, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Shivam Mavi/Kamlesh Nagarkoti/Sandeep Warrier.