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Top 3 captaincy contenders for Kolkata in absence of Shreyas Iyer for the upcoming Indian T20 League
The 16th season of the Indian T20 League is set to begin on March 31 as Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat will take on MS Dhoni-led Chennai in the inaugural game. Meanwhile, some teams have begun their preparations while some are still looking for replacements for injured players. Meanwhile, tensions have risen in the Kolkata camp as captain Shreyas Iyer is expected to be added to the long injured list.
Iyer’s back injury has flared up once again and his condition is not looking good. Notably, after fielding for two days in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy, he didn’t even bat for India in the first innings. After the game, skipper Rohit Sharma also raised concerns over his participation as he said that Iyer’s injury is not looking good at the moment.
However, Kolkata’s team management will be assessing the situation and will be looking for a replacement for the skipper. In this article, we will discuss the top three contenders for the leadership role of the franchise.
3. Sunil Naraine
Sunil Naraine (Source: Twitter)
West Indies superstar Sunil Naraine has been phenomenal throughout fifteen years of the Indian T20 League. He has been amazing and a go-to all-rounder for the team. He has not only delivered match-winning performances with the ball but also with the bat as he frequently opened the innings for Kolkata.
Narine has only played for Kolkata in his whole Indian T20 League career, demonstrating how important he is to the team. He has 152 wickets at a remarkable economy of 6.63 in 148 games including a five-wicket haul. Narine has accumulated 1025 runs with a strike rate of 162.7.
Apart from these numbers, Naraine also has some leadership skills and has captained a T20 team in several other leagues. This makes him one of the most important assets for the Kolkata in absence of Shreyas Iyer.
2. Andre Russell
Andre Russell (Source: Twitter)
Kolkata is known for its love of West Indies superstars. Another name on the list is Andre Russell. Russell has been Kolkata’s go-to player in crunch situations. Everyone is aware of Russell’s all-around ability as he can shift the momentum in just a few balls. His amazing batting performances have delivered nightmares to many bowlers.
Although Russel has represented various teams in the Indian T20 League, he has spent the majority of his career with Kolkata and has been a match-winner for them. Overall, the West Indies all-rounder has played 98 matches in Indian T20 League.
In these games, he has hammered 2035 runs at a strike rate of 177.88 including ten fifties. He has also clinched 89 wickets thus far, including a five-wicket haul. Russell likes to lead from the front, and his performance may improve when he captains the side. Notably, he is one of those players who play in almost every league around the globe.
1. Nitish Rana
Nitish Rana (Source: Twitter)
Nitish Rana is another option on whom the franchise could bet and might name a captain. He is one of the players who will be available for all 14 league matches. He can clinch a game single-handedly and will prove to be a game-changer. Notably, Rana has played for the two most successful franchises in the tournament. He has represented both Mumbai and Kolkata in the Indian T20 League.
He has played 91 matches since making his debut in 2016 and has been an extraordinary asset to the team. He has scored 2181 runs at an average of nearly 28 and a strike rate of 134.22. Rana also bowls off-spin on occasion, making him a viable part-time alternative.
Notably, a young captain could return fortunes for Kolkata. He has the upper hand because of his age and fitness. Russell and Naraine could be named captains, but they have various fitness issues and team management will not want another blow in the middle of the tournament.