IPL 2023 recap: Rana-led KKR struggled for consistency last season
What's the story
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will aim to end their trophy drought in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), starting on March 22.
The two-time champions haven't tasted glory since the 2014 season despite having the services of several prominent names.
Meanwhile, KKR finished seventh last season under Nitish Rana's leadership.
Here we decode KKR's miserable campaign in IPL 2023.
Standings
A seventh-place finish for KKR
With just six wins in 14 games, KKR finished seventh in the 10-team standings.
They lost five of their first seven games and could not bounce back thereafter.
They dearly missed their regular skipper Shreyas Iyer, who missed the competition due to his back issues.
KKR failed to identify their best XI as the constant changes in the line-up did not help their cause.
Woes
An unsettled opening combination
The problem started right from the top order as KKR tried as many as eight different opening combinations last season.
Only twice could their openers record a 50-plus stand.
As per ESPNcricinfo, KKR's powerplay run rate of 8.33 was the fourth-worst among all teams last season.
They lost the most wickets in this phase (29).
Struggles
Struggles in bowling department
KKR bowlers were neither able to restrict runs nor take many wickets in the powerplay overs.
Their economy rate of 9.78 in powerplay was the worst among all teams last season.
The Knight Riders only scalped 21 wickets in this phase.
Meanwhile, KKR's economy rate in the death overs (16-20) was 10.81 (fourth-worst for any team).
They claimed 21 scalps in this phase.
Rinku
A dream season for Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh finished the season as KKR's highest run-scorer, having smashed 474 runs at 59.25 (SR: 149.52).
The southpaw became just the third player, batting at number five or lower, to score 400 runs in an IPL season with a 50-plus average and 140-plus strike rate.
Rinku garnered the most runs in the death overs (280 at an exceptional strike rate of 186.67).
Stats
How did the other batters perform?
Skipper Rana (413 runs at a strike rate of 140.95) and Venkatesh Iyer (404 runs, striking at 145.84) were the other KKR batters with 400-plus runs.
The latter even scored a hundred.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Andre Russell blew hot and cold, managing 227 runs apiece. Jason Roy did well, smashing 285 runs at a strike rate of 151.59.
Numbers
Numbers of key KKR bowlers
With 20 wickets at 21.45, Varun Chakravarthy was KKR's highest wicket-taker. Sunil Narine looked out of touch, managing 11 scalps at 34.81.
Suyash Sharma (10 wickets at 32.1) was the only other KKR bowler to claim at least 10 wickets.
While Umesh Yadav could only manage one scalp in eight outings, Shardul Thakur and Russell had economy rates of over 10 (7 wickets apiece).