IPL 2023: Three Indian Players Who Can Be Ideal Replacement for Shreyas Iyer for KKR in IPL

IPL 2023: The next edition of the world’s biggest cricket tournament is about to start in a week’s time. The 16th season of the Indian Premier League will start on March 31. In the first game of the season, we will see the defending champion Gujarat Titans lock horns with the Chennai Super Kings. With not much time left in the start of the tournament, all IPL franchises are busy in their preparation. Some teams are busy finding the right combination, while others are suffering from injuries to their main players.

The two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders are among those teams that suffered a big setback before the start of the tournament. KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the entire upcoming season due to a back injury. Some media reports suggested that Iyer needs another 6–9 months to recover from his back issues. That has left KKR in big trouble, and now they will have to find a perfect replacement for their skipper in the team.

IPL 2023: Three Players who can replace Shreyas Iyer in the upcoming edition for KKR

3. Priyam Garg

KKR has a history of investing in young, uncapped Indian talent. Venkatesh Iyer and Varun Chakravarthy made their debut in the Indian team by performing for KKR. Then, the likes of Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh are other players who are on the same path. Thus, if the KKR is looking to invest more in younger players, Priyam Garg can be a good choice.

The 23-year-old all-rounder, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, is a good top-order batter. He made his IPL debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2020 and played with them for three seasons. In 17 innings, he has scored 251 runs with a best of 51 not out. He went unsold in the 2023 auction with a base price of INR 20 lakh. KKR can look up to him, as he can also bowl some useful overs in the middle.

2. Abhimanyu Easwaran

One name that impressed everyone with his consistent performance at the domestic level is Abhimanyu Easwaran. The 27-year-old is a top-order batter like Shreyas Iyer and plays for Bengal. Although he has yet to make his debut in the IPL, he has enough experience playing the shorter format of the game.

In his T20 career, he has played 26 innings and scored 728 runs at 38.31, with a best of 107 not out. He plays for Bengal and is familiar with the conditions at Eden Gardens, which can help him a lot. Easwaran was picked in the Indian test squad as well but didn’t get the chance to make his debut.

1. Karun Nair

If we talk about experience, then not many players will have the same level of experience under their belt as Karun Nair. A former KKR star who played for them in 2021 when they made the final went unsold in the 2023 auction. He made his first appearance in the 2013 season and has played in every edition since then.

Nair has featured in 76 IPL games and scored 1496 runs at an average and strike rate of 23.75 and 127.75. He has also scored 10 half centuries, with a best of 83 not out. So far, he has represented the Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capital), and KKR in his IPL career. Nair can be a decent choice at the top of the order.