Published on: Nov 30, 2021 12:00 pm IST|Updated on: Dec 15, 2021 6:42 pm IST
KKR Retained Players – The time has come when the top 8 Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise have to do all the certain calculations and setting up the different permutations and combinations before the all-important mega auction. The original 8 franchises except for the two new teams added recently, are supposed to submit their list of retained players on 30 July at 12 PM IST. IPL 2021 runners-up Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have already revealed their retentions and there are a couple of big surprises.
The 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League will comprise of a total of 10 teams and the existing 8 franchises have been allowed to retain a maximum of four players which can include a maximum of three Indian players and not more than two overseas cricketers. The auction purse has been increased to a whopping amount worth INR 90 crore while introducing different slab rates.
Once again going as per their history in the IPL retention process over the years, Kolkata Knight Riders have once again showed faith in their overseas players having retained the experienced duo of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine. The two-time IPL champions have retained a total of four cricketers with Varun Chakravarthy and Venkatesh Iyer being their final two retentions. This also means that Kolkata Knight Riders will appoint a brand new captain for the upcoming IPL edition in 2022. KKR will go into the IPL 2022 mega auction with a purse of INR 48 crores.
West Indies explosive all-rounder Andre Russell has been a great utility cricketer for the Kolkata Knight Riders over the years in the IPL due to his sensational contributions both with the bat and ball. He will be drawing an amazing salary amount worth INR 12 crore in IPL 2022 as he is the first retention by KKR.
After his impressive performances in the last couple of IPL seasons, the Kolkata Knight Riders have rewarded mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy as their third retained player. Since being picked initially by Punjab in the auction at INR 8.4 crore, Chakravarthy will receive an amount worth INR 8 crores in IPL 2022.
One of the most surprising developments from the retention day is the news of all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer getting retained by Kolkata Knight Riders. After having picked in the playing XI during the UAE leg of the IPL 2021, Iyer contributed with many match-winning performances with the bat and the left-hander was a vital reason that KKR qualified for the finals. He will be a getting a salary of INR 8 crores in IPL 2022.
The Shahrukh Khan co-owned franchise have announced experienced spinner Sunil Narine as their fourth retention for IPL 2022 ahead of the mega auction. Narine will be getting a salary of INR 6 crores in the upcoming season of the cash-rich T20 league. Narine has been associated with KKR right from the start since making his IPL debut in 2012.
The IPL 2022 retention will be broadcasted live on the Star Sports Network and HotStar app from 9:30 PM IST.