'Notorious winner' Gambhir alongside Shreyas can transform KKR: Morgan

Bengaluru: Former Kolkata Knight Riders captain Eoin Morgan believed that the combination of mentor Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer could help the team to resurrect its fortunes in the IPL 2024.

The Knight Riders, who finished seventh in 2023 and 2022, have brought back two-time title winning captain Gambhir as their mentor ahead of the next edition.

Iyer had missed the whole of last IPL owing to an injury as Nitish Rana led the side.

“I think Shreyas missed last year, and obviously, Nitish Rana came in and did what he could on such short notice. You know, under high pressure circumstances and getting to know the new coach and trying to make things work proved very challenging. But bringing Gambhir back in who is a notorious winner. Having played alongside him and under him as captain, Gambhir knows how to get it done," said Morgan, IPL expert with JIO Cinema, during an interaction.

"Gambhir along with Shreyas will be mentoring KKR in every facet and given the record that he's had in the Knight Rider shirt, I think, it will make a positive impact."

Morgan, who had led England to an ODI World Cup victory in 2019, said Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc will be a hot property in the auction on Tuesday.

Morgan opined that Starc could trigger a bidding war between the Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans.

“I think Mitchell Starc alongside Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, probably, Gerald Coetzee as overseas bowlers will be the most sought after. KKR and GT need good pacers at the moment. GT probably have one of the biggest purses in this auction and they let go of Hardik Pandya. So, they have a lot of recruiting to do, but I think they probably need an imposing strike bowler,” said Morgan.

While Morgan asserted that bowlers will be in demand during the auction to be held in Dubai, a few batsmen such as England’s Harry Brook, Australia’s Travis Head and Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand will evince some interest from the bidders.

"When you look at the teams, I suppose they are coming into auction when their top-order is pretty much full. So, in that regard, I don't see many batters going for huge amounts of money. Brook is going to be in there and will be sought after. I think Head is going to create a strong buzz, given the last year and a half to two years he has had in all formats of the game. Man of the Match in the WTC and World Cup final. He has really left an indelible mark on Indian minds. So, he will definitely be sought after,” he said.

The Ireland-born cricketer said Ravindra also has an edge because of him being left-handed top-order batter.

“Likewise, Head, Ravindra is a player you can actually see teams identify with their need…you know, a top order left-handed batter. Whoever goes for one and doesn't get it and will go for the other,” he added.

Morgan felt that all-rounder Shardul Thakur and uncapped batter Shah Rukh Khan could be the biggest buys among the Indian players.

Shardul could be the most-sought-after Indian player given his all-round ability and the flexibility with his bowling and the attacking nature in which he bats. He makes himself a very attractive selection.

"Shah Rukh too, because I think he's in fine form. He's so destructive and carries a sort of Rinku Singh model of finishing, and he could potentially create a bidding war,” Morgan signed off.