IPL 2021: Kolkata Knight Riders full squad and player stats
The Shah Rukh Khan-owned Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Rider just missed out on a Playoff berth in IPL 2020 by the smallest of margins. The Eoin Morgan-led side missed out on the playoffs spot on Net Run-Rate (NRR) as they had 14 points equal to those of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). KKR had a captaincy change midway during the tournament as Dinesh Karthik let go off the leadership duty for team's cause.
Kolkata Knight Riders full squad
![Kolkata Knight Riders full squad Kolkata Knight Riders will look to go one step further by at least making the Playoff in IPL 2021.](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927557-kkrgalleryteam.jpeg)
Retained players: Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, Pat Cummins, Tim Seifert, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Sandeep Warrier, Prasidh Krishna, Rahul Tripathi, Varun Chakravarthy.
Released Players: Tom Banton, Chris Green, Siddhesh Lad, Nikhil Naik, M Siddharth, Ali Khan and Harry Gurney
New Additions: Shakib Al Hasan, Harbhajan Singh, Ben Cutting, Karun Nair, Pawan Negi, Venkatesh Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Vaibhav Arora.
Harbhajan Singh
![Harbhajan Singh The senior statesman off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who missed out in the last season owing to personal reasons put his name up in the auction and expressed his desire to play after he was released by the Chennai Super Kings.](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927556-harbhajansingh.jpeg)
The senior statesman off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who missed out in the last season owing to personal reasons put his name up in the auction and expressed his desire to play after he was released by the Chennai Super Kings. He was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the wee hours of the auction at his base price. But, given the lack of experience in KKR's spin department, Bhajji with his experience of 160 IPL games and 150 wickets could well be a sure-short starter in the KKR line-up alongside Chakravarthy.
Nitish Rana
![Nitish Rana In the 14 games, Nitish Rana amassed 352 runs with three scores of 50-plus at a strike rate of 138.](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927555-nitishrana.jpeg)
Varun Chakravarthy
![Varun Chakravarthy In 13 games, Varun Chakravarthy took 17 wickets at an economy of 6.94 with best figures of 5/20 against the last year's runners-up Delhi Capitals.](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927554-varunchakravarthy.jpg)
KKR unearthed the star in Varun Chakravarthy in the last season. Varun didn't start in the competition, however, as soon as he played his first game, he became the chief wicket-taker for the side in no time. In 13 games he took 17 wickets at an economy of 6.94 with best figures of 5/20 against the last year's runners-up Delhi Capitals.
Shubman Gill
![Shubman Gill Shubman Gill, who was now officially the first-choice opener for the side, had a pretty decent season with the bat as he amassed 440 runs at an average of almost 34 including three fifty-plus scores.](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927553-shubmangill.jpg)
Pat Cummins
![Pat Cummins KKR broke the bank for the No. 1 bowler in Tests in the world, Pat Cummins last year as he was bought by the franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 15.5 crores.](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927551-patcummins.jpg)
KKR broke the bank for the No. 1 bowler in Tests in the world, Pat Cummins last year as he was bought by the franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 15.5 crores. Cummins had a scratchy start to his campaign as he was taken to cleaners in the first game as he gave away 49 runs in his three overs. Cummins took a four-fer in his side's last but the most important game against the Rajasthan Royals but despite the win, KKR couldn't advance into the finals.
Sunil Narine
![Sunil Narine West Indian myster-spinner Sunil Narine picked just five wickets in the 10 games he played in IPL 2020.](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927549-sunilnarine.jpeg)
Andre Russell
![Andre Russell In 10 games, Andre Russell scored just 117 runs at an average of 13 and took just six wickets at an economy of 9.72.](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927548-andrerussell.jpg)
Andre Russell single-handedly almost took KKR in the playoffs of the IPL 2019 as he scored 510 runs in 14 games he played. But in the 2020 season injuries hampered his performance a lack of form meant the men in purple weren't getting the finish they get from Russell and hence the desired scores. In 10 games, Russell scored just 117 runs at an average of 13 and took just six wickets at an economy of 9.72.
Dinesh Karthik
![Dinesh Karthik Dinesh Karthik scored only 169 runs with one fifty in IPL 2020.](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927547-dineshkarthik.jpeg)
Eoin Morgan
![Eoin Morgan England's limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 5.25 crore last season](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2021/04/05/927546-eoinmorgan.jpg)
England's limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 5.25 crore last season as part of their leadership group and to support Dinesh Karthik in the field. Morgan had a more than a decent season with the bat as he amassed 418 runs in the 14 games he played at an average of 41.8 striking at 138.4.