KKR seeks new opener after Salt joins RCB

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a great improvement in their IPL performance last season, thanks to openers Sunil Narine and Phil Salt. Together, they helped KKR win the IPL trophy. But as Salt moves to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), KKR must find a new partner for Narine. In past seasons, from 2020 to 2023, KKR struggled with their opening pairs. They had the worst average and strike rate for opening batsmen during that time. Everything changed when Narine was promoted to the top of the order, and Salt joined the team as a late replacement. Together, they scored 559 runs in just 12 innings last season. Now, with Salt playing for RCB, KKR needs a new opener. Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz are potential candidates, with de Kock likely being the top choice. However, both players have had ups and downs recently, putting more pressure on Narine. On the other side, Salt will team up with RCB's star player, Virat Kohli. Kohli has been crucial for RCB, especially in past seasons alongside Faf du Plessis. Salt faces a big challenge to match his predecessor’s success. Former RCB player AB de Villiers believes Salt can help Kohli by being an aggressive player at the top of the order. As the season opener approaches, both teams are eager for their new line-ups to perform well. The match is set to be exciting as KKR and RCB go head-to-head.