IPL 2024 Auction: Three Bengal players KKR can bid for in Auction

Kolkata Knight Riders haven't had a Bengal contingent in their ranks for years. Since the days of Manoj Tiwary, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Ashok Dinda and others, we haven't seen any Bengal talent blossoming in the IPL under the umbrella of the KKR franchise.

But will that thing change in the upcoming IPL 2024 auction? The IPL auction for next season is set to take place in Dubai on December 19. As the ten franchises prepare to tweak their squads, there will be focus on domestic players who have done pretty decently over the last year or so.

KKR's squad has lacked the number of Bengal players over the years and it has gone to zero in the past few seasons. KKR haven't acquired any player from Bengal in years and ironically have struggled in the IPL as well.

But for the upcoming auction, we may see them snapping up at least one Bengal player to introduce some familiarity to the team. Last season, there were two Bengali players but both were Bangladeshi, as KKR roped in Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das. But after offloading them both ahead of the auction, it is to be seen if anyone from Bengal gets an opportunity to represent the two-time champions.

Ten players from Bengal have registered themselves for the upcoming auction and we have found three of them who can be a decent fit at the KKR setup if the franchise decides to put in a bid for them-

Shakir Habib Gandhi

Age: 24

Role: Wicketkeeper-Batter

Shakir Habib Gandhi is known for his explosive batting up top in the Bengal cricket circuit. The 24-year-old is also a wicketkeeper who is popular for his aggressive hitting and can be an option for Kolkata Knight Riders. Last season, KKR went for Narayan Jagadeesan, a move which didn't materialise. And Gandhi can be a domestic backup for them in 2024.

Ravi Kumar

Age: 20

Role: Bowler

Ravi Kumar was part of India's U-19 World Cup squad in 2022 and was a prolific performer in the tournament. The 20-year-old is a left-arm medium pacer who picked up 10 wickets in six matches in the U-19 World Cup as India went on to win their 5th U-19 title. The young pacer has gone on to play for Bengal this year as well in the T20 format and is likely to make his Ranji debut in coming months. He has both pace and the ability to bowl a lethal inswing and the youngster can be a valued addition to the KKR ranks.

Writtick Chatterjee

Age: 31

Role: All-Rounder

Writtick Chatterjee was part of the Punjab Kings for a season but never got a game for them. The 31-year-old is primarily a utility player who can bowl some decent off-spin and also can be a handy batter in the lower-middle order. Although KKR have some options in that position, having someone like Writtick will add to their depth and can be a viable option in the home matches.