England cricket team’s discarded player, Kevin Pietersen would be the hottest property in the forthcoming IPL auctions.
England cricket team’s discarded player, Kevin Pietersen would be the hottest property in the forthcoming IPL auctions. After England cricket board left the South African-born player in the cold, ‘KP’ would now available for the Indian Premier League, ‘fulltime’. He has had stints with Royal Challengers Bangalore (2009-10), then Deccan Chargers (2011) and recently Delhi Daredevils (2012-13). Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi was quoted on BBC Radio saying that, “its England’s loss and IPL’s gain.” So who should KP opt for and which team should buy him? Here’s our take:
Mumbai Indians
Why: The answer is simple – replace an icon (Sachin Tendulkar) with another (Kevin Pietersen). Mumbai Indians in the past have never been shy of spending quality money on overseas players; prime example was Glenn Maxwell who was bought for 1million dollars. If Pietersen decides to join the reigning champions, he will star alongside the likes of Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga. If MI does recruit Kevin Pietersen, their middle-order will further be strengthened.
Kings XI Punjab
Why: Prior to the auctions, reports emerged that Kevin Pietersen is being lined up by the Kings XI Punjab. If they are ‘accurately’ true, expect Kings XI Punjab to go afar in this year’s IPL. Since the IPL’s inauguration, the Punjab side have never qualified for a final. So, if they manage to recruit Kevin Pietersen, expect owner Priety Zinta to do bhangra at the stadium!
Kolkata Knight Riders
Why: Uhmm… may be skipper Gautam Gambhir requires a ‘star’ addition that can drive his side to the end. Former champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders have been lacking a quality player in their ranks and had to rely on Jacques Kallis (now a free agent) and Gautam Gambhir to bail them out of trouble. Kevin Pietersen brings a bagful of experience and a T20 champion himself, can be the perfect player for this Shah Rukh Khan-owned team.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Why: If their performance in the last year’s IPL was the biggest ‘surprise’ for all, the owners could add more to that by auctioning for Kevin Pietersen in the upcoming auctions. Without the skilled Kumara Sangakkara this year, the Sunrisers Hyderabad need someone who could offer them an extra bit of quality when required. Who wouldn’t want to see the world’s fastest bowler and the best T20 batsman in the same team? We all love too.
