3 players Kolkata Knight Riders are expected to retain for IPL 2018

The forthcoming auction of the Indian Premier League will be one of the most biggest one since the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008. Most of the star players will go under the hammer ahead of the IPL 2018.

The two time champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, have a number of wonderful players in their squad, and would love to retain all of them. But, with a maximum of 3 retentions allowed for each team, whom will they retain?

Here are the three players, who the Kolkata Knight Riders - KKR are expected to retain for the IPL 2018:

1. Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir, certainly is the most important player in the KKR line-up. In 2011, he was bought for a record breaking bid of 2.4 million US Dollars, and became the most expensive player to be bought in the IPL at that time. 

Since then, Gambhir has led KKR to 2 titles in 2012 & 2014, while he took his team to the playoffs in 2011, 2016 and 2017. Gautam Gambhir is the fourth highest scorer in the history of the IPL, having scored 4132 runs, at an average of 31.78, and a decent strike rate of around 125.

2. Andre Russell

The West-Indian all-rounder would be keen to make a comeback, after he banned in 2017 due to dooping allegations.

From scoring a century in just 42 balls, and taking 4 wickets in 4 balls, this man has done it all, and when it comes to his fielding skills, he is one of the best in the business. 

Russell has performed well in almost every T20 league in the world, like the Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League, and the Caribbean Premier League. He is one of best all-rounders in the world, and KKR for sure would not let go of him.

3. Sunil Narine

Kolkata Knight Riders' silent assassin - Sunil Narine! He remains the only bowler to have bowled a maiden over in a super over of a T20 game, and also holds the record to score the fastest fifty in the IPL.

Narine was adjudged the man of the tournament when KKR won their first title in 2012. What makes his one of the best T20 bowler is his staggering economy rate of 6.32. 

Cheers,

Sparsh