The Indian Premier League is one of the most celebrated tournaments in India and the most watched cricket tournament in the world. Hence, you can expect unscripted entertainment every time the league is on, which thankfully is every year.
The IPL title is usually contested by 8 registered teams which battle it out through blood, sweat and tears for the prize money and of course bragging rights.
Some of these teams have done exceptionally well in the league, while others are still finding their feet as the IPL was only just established in 2008. This piece is highlighting Kolkata Knight Riders, popularly abbreviated as KKR in a bid to explore the team as a smart betting option.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – History and overview
With each team representing their major cities, the KKR is a franchise cricket team which represents the City of Kolkata. This team is one of the most popular teams possibly because it’s owned by celebrities. Shah Rukh Khan, the Bollywood actor, alongside his colleague Juhi Chawla and her spouse are proud owners of this prestigious team.
Founded in 2008, the team has had its fair share of accolades over the years. With 68,000 seater Eden Gardens being the team’s home ground, they have managed to go from qualifying for the IPL playoffs in 2011 to winning the title in 2012 and again in 2014. Hence, you can say the KKR is definitely on a winning streak. Speaking of streak, KKR currently holds the record for the longest winning streak by any Indian team in T20s.
The team is captained by Dinesh Karthik, coached by Brendon McCullum and managed by Wayne Bentley. However, the franchise has made major player adjustments over the years as it’s let go powerful warhorses like Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa and Piyush Chawla while managing to score Australian-all-rounder Pat Cummins amongst others.
Statistics show that the team is expanding and paying more attention to young players which is only great for continuity.
Kolkata Knight Riders players list
Like any other cricket team, the Kolkata Knight Riders is a team of twenty-two players but each game is played by eleven players or cricketers as they’re professionally called.
Hence, there are about 9 substitutes. These cricketers have three roles which are designated to them. these roles are the batsman, bowler, all-rounder, and wicket-keeper. Ideally, a cricket team consists of five batsmen, an all-rounder, four bowlers, and a wicketkeeper.
The Kolkata Knight Riders 2022 IPL team has 22 players in its full squad. These players come from different nationalities and they occupy different positions. Here’s a rundown of each player:
Dinesh Karthik – Captain
Born 1st June 1985, Dinesh Karthik was the captain of the Knight Riders and a great one at that. He’s Indian and plays the role of a wicket-keeper. Dinesh has a right-handed batting style and he bowls with his right arm. Karthik passed the captain baton to England’s Eoin Morgan in 2019
Here’s an overview of the other 21 players that make up the KKR squad.
| Name | Nationality | DOB | Role | Bowling Style | Batting Style |
| Eoin Morgan | England | 10/09/86 | Middle Order Batsman | Right Arm | Left Handed |
| Andre Russel | West Indies | 29/04/88 | All-rounder | Right Arm | Right handed |
| Sunil Narine | West Indies | 26/05/88 | Bowler | Right Arm | Left Handed |
| Kuldeep Yadav | India | 14/12/94 | Bowler | Left Arm | Left Handed |
| Pat Cummins | Australia | 08/05/93 | Bowler | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Ali Khan | USA | 13/12/90 | All-rounder | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Chris Green | Australia | 01/10/93 | Bowler | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Kamlesh Nagarkoti | India | 28/12/99 | All-rounder | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Lockie Ferguson | New Zealand | 13/06/91 | Bowler | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Manimaran Siddharth | India | 03/07/98 | Bowler | Left Arm | Right Handed |
| Nikhil Naik | India | 09/11/94 | Batsman | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Nitish Rana | India | 27/12/93 | Batsman | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Prasidh Krishna | India | 19/02/96 | Bowler | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Rahul Tripathi | India | 02/03/91 | Batsman | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Rinku Singh | India | 12/10/97 | Batsman | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Sandeep Warrier | India | 04/04/91 | Bowler | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Shivam Mavi | India | 26/11/98 | All-rounder | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Shubman Gill | India | 08/09/99 | All-rounder | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Siddhesh Lad | India | 23/05/92 | Batsman | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Tim Seifert | New Zealand | 14/12/94 | Wicket Keeper | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Tom Banton | England | 11/11/98 | Wicket Keeper | Right Arm | Right Handed |
| Varun Chakravarth | India | 29/08/91 | Bowler | Right Arm | Right Handed |
The new inclusions for the KKR team include EOin Morgan, Pat Cummins, Varun Chakravarthy, Chris Green, Tom Banton, Nikhil Naik, Ali Khan, and Rahul Tripathi.
Where to bet on: KKR or MI Team?
Both the KKR and MI teams have amazing players coupled with a resilient coach. However, from a bettor’s viewpoint, one team must be slightly or largely preferred to the other.
This preference stems from the team’s caliber of players, their history of wins as well as the statistics. So in terms of the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Mumbai Indians, which team should one bet on?
First off, both teams are IPL champions as they’ve both bagged the title multiple times. Yet, based on the frequency of wins, the history of the team and general statistics, the Mumbai Indians would be a better bet.
This is because, not only has this team won 5 IPL titles, it’s also the incumbent champion and it’s got positive perception in the media. So, who wouldn’t want to be affiliated with such a team. The possibility of the Mumbai Indians winning a match is on the high side.
This is because, out of 203 matches played by the team, 58.13% of these matches were won. Statistically speaking, these are very good odds and although KKR has won its fair share of matches, it’s win probability isn’t as high as Mumbai Indians. This is why the MI is a better bet.
Best players of KKR to bet on?
KKR is one of the most celebrated IPL teams and this being said it has a whole lot of renowned players, some of which are now retired. This two-time IPL champion has a handful of the crème de la crème of players and having these players in a team only increases the betting chances for bettors.
These players offer great odds on betting sites. But to do so, you must choose among the best platforms and we have them for you! You can click on any of the sites in our Top to bet cricket odds with the big boys.
From the likes of Andre Russel who is arguably the best T20 player in the world, Tom Banton who is new but still a great pick, Pat Cummins whom the franchise spent so much of its money on, alongside Eoin Morgan, the team has progressed to be so formidable and airtight. While Cummins is still the number one test bowler and with Morgan being instrumental to England’s 2019 world cup thus increasing the team’s statistics.
These statistics have risen despite the team letting go of big names like Chris Lynn, West Indian Carlos Brathwaite, Robin Uthappa and of course long-serving Piyush Chawla. In essence, you can say these new players together with Dinesh Karthik, the incumbent team captain are great additions to the team and they can all be bet on.
Why you should bet online on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Teams?
Kolkata Knight Riders is a team with a lot of accolades under its belt. This team has always been popular and this isn’t just because of its celebrity owners. KKR has earned bragging rights for many titles, tournaments and leagues since its inception in 2008. The team is one of the most marketable ones in the IPL and these aren’t all the reasons why one should bet on KKR.
Starting off with their accolades. After being founded in 2008, it took three years before KKR qualified for the IPL playoffs. A year after this qualification in 2011, the team took home their first IPL title in 2012 which they won against Chennai Super Kings.
The second IPL win followed shortly after the first and in 2014 the KKR squad bagged yet again another win by defeating the Kings XI Punjab.
The Knight Riders finished in fifth place in the 2019 IPL as they lost six matches but won four of their first five matches. Not much changed either in the 2022 IPL either as the team emerged fifth as well. However, KKR is still a team with a lot of heart, soul and gifted cricketers, so it’s only a matter of time before their next IPL win.
Here’s a more detailed look into the IPL wins of the Kolkata Knight Riders
| Year of winning | Total matches played | Total matches won | Position emerged |
| 2008 | 14 | 6 | 6th |
| 2009 | 14 | 3 | 8th |
| 2010 | 14 | 7 | 6th |
| 2011 | 15 | 8 | 4th |
| 2012 | 18 | 12 | 1st |
| 2013 | 16 | 6 | 7th |
| 2014 | 16 | 11 | 1st |
| 2015 | 14 | 7 | 5th |
| 2016 | 15 | 8 | 4th |
| 2017 | 16 | 9 | 3rd |
| 2018 | 16 | 9 | 3rd |
| 2019 | 14 | 6 | 5th |
| 2020 | 14 | 7 | 5th |
Hence, at a glance one can decipher how the Kolkata Knight Riders performed in each year’s Indian Premier League.
Follow these strategies to bet on KKR
The IPL is such a profitable tournament to bet on and with the KKR being one of the most successful franchises in the history of the IPL, betting on KKR would be very rewarding. Now that you’ve figured this out, how then can one go ahead to bet on KKR? Here are some valuable strategies to follow when betting on Cricket, IPL, or any other tournament.
Choose a betting site
Individuals with access to the internet or a smart device can start their KKR betting journey by selecting a betting site. Of course, this selection shouldn’t be done haphazardly as there are certain pointers to look out for when choosing an online betting site.
In addition, try to verify that this site has the support of some authority by means of its license in force, such as the MGA.
Make a deposit
Without a deposit, you’ll have nothing to wager. Hence, after you’ve registered on your chosen betting site, do make a deposit so that you can bet. Depending on the site, your minimum deposit can be $10.
Locate cricket and bet on KKR
There are various sporting activities and events that can be found on a betting site. If the site you have chosen is one of the platforms featured on this site, then browsing the cricket section will be easy!
Select the tournament you want to bet on, the upcoming and live matches will be displayed, then you can place a bet on KKR.
Who owns KKR IPL team?
The increasing popularity of the KKR seldom depends on its celebrity owners. These owners are none other than the talented and delectable king of Bollywood himself, Mr Shah Rukh Khan, the ever stunning one-time Miss India and award-winning actress,
Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta, her spouse. Thus, you can say their signature organizations like Red Chillies Ent. co-founded by Shah and The Mehta Group which Jay Mehta is the chairman, are very affiliated with the KKR team. Matter of fact, Red Chillies owns 55% of KKR while The Mehta Group owns 45% of it.
This co-ownership dynamic is triggering success for the Knight Riders.
Avoid these mistakes to bet on KKR IPL Team
Most bettors bet for the thrill of winning and sometimes, they throw caution to the wind while making their betting decisions and this only plummets their efforts. Before you bet on this KKR IPL team, do avoid these mistakes;
Betting blindly: Before you bet on the KKR IPL team, do ensure that you’ve done the groundwork to figure out which team player has the best statistics, which opposing team has less chances to win, and ultimately what the odds for winning are.
Betting when in debt: Gambling can be exciting and thrilling which is exactly why most people get addicted to it. Hence, such addiction can lead to the procurement of debts. So to prevent yourself from losing any more money, you should not stake money you don’t have.
Betting on a scam site: Before you even go ahead to place that bet, do check for the licensing and authenticity of that site as this will save you the trouble of getting ripped off.
Leaving your device unsecure: A lot of betting sites have security authentication systems that prevent identity theft or cybercrimes on their site. However, they cannot insure players against such crimes carried out in person. Hence, be sure to secure your mobile device against breaking and entering.
Frequent asked questions (FAQs)
The Kolkata Knight Riders are a phenomenal team which plays with heart and soul in every match, tournament or league. Now, there are some questions which usually arise with respect to the team, here are a handful of them.
Ideally, only eleven players hit the pitch. However, each team can have more than these number of players because of substitutes. So for the Kolkata Knight Riders, there are about twenty-two cricketers that make up the team.
Betting odds are never the same for every match, game or tournament. They are usually set before a game so there’s no one fixed set of odds that answers this question. Sometimes the odds could be of value and other times there couldn’t. It’s in the best interest of the bettor to identify the different kinds of odds before making a betting decision.
The home ground of the KKR is Eden Gardens. This iconic stadium has a capacity of 68,000 seats
As at the end of 2018, the KKR franchise was worth $104 million and by 2019, this amount plummeted to $88 million.
Conclusion
Because the IPL is such a celebrated Indian league, knowing the teams that contribute to its success is quite essential, especially for betting purposes.
Taking a deep dive into players’ details, the team’s history, and even net worth one can recover valuable information which can help one make informed betting decisions on sites. With KKR being one of the most celebrated teams on the IPL, this little guide was necessary.
Now bettors will be equipped with all they need to know about this popular team, including their IPL wins, outstanding players, ownership status and even what to expect in future matches.