Kolkata Knight Riders to release 3 notable players ahead of IPL 2024 auction – Reports 

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have had a dismal outing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as they finished seventh in the points table. They will be aiming for a strong comeback in the next season and have already started the preparations for it. The Kolkata-based franchise has roped in their two-time title-winning captain Gautam Gambhir as the team menton ahead of the 2024 IPL.

Shreyas Iyer, who missed the last edition due to injury, is expected to lead the side in the upcoming edition. Meanwhile, Nitish Rana will focus more on his batting. Apart from these, the franchise is also aiming to revamp its squad as the player auction for the 2024 IPL is scheduled to take place in Dubai on December 19. They will release a few players who have failed to perform up to expectations and bring in more impactful players.

Veteran New Zealand pacers Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson are among the names that have come up in KKR’s release list. India’s bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur also features in the list. While Thakur performed well during his time with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he failed to make a mark for KKR last season. He was brought from Delhi Capitals (DC) for a huge sum of INR 10.75 crore.

The story of Kiwi fast bowler Ferguson, who was acquired for Rs 10 crore, is similar. The right-arm seamer had a disappointing IPL 2023 season, picking up just one wicket in three matches. Although he could trouble batters with his sheer pace, the impact he made was relatively low. Coming to Southee, the 34-year-old earned Rs 1.5 crore but failed to give back to the team through his performances. His modest campaign in IPL 2023 ended with picking up just two wickets from two matches.

Given the poor stats of these players, reports from Cricbuzz are to be believed that KKR is set to release them ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. With this move, the franchise will have over Rs 22 crore in its bag, which they can invest in potential game changers during the auction.