IPL 6: Kolkata want to ride like shining knights

Kolkata Knight Riders go into the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League as defending champions. If the performances last season is anything to go by, they will be the team to beat this time around. Not to mention the fact that they beat Chennai Super Kings in the final, a team that has won the competetion twice and is by far the most consistent since the inaugural tournament in 2008.

In this season Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment and Juhi Chawla have a very strong group of players. Their squad is be boosted by the purchases of all-rounders Sachithra Senanayake of Sri Lanka and Ryan McLaren of South Africa in this year's auction.

Kolkata's variety in their bowling attack makes them a tough nut to crack. At the helm is spinner Sunil Narine, former Australian spearhead Brett Lee and Laxmipathy Balaji. Shakib Al Hasan, Rajat Bhatia, Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Yusuf Pathan are handy bowlers too. The fact that Brett Lee is now also the bowling mentor only adds to the lethal power they have in the ranks.

Their batting boasts of some of the big names in international cricket. Skipper Gautam Gambhir leads by example and is known to give a solid foundation to the innings along with the likes of Jacques Kallis and Brendon McCulllum. The middle order comprises of Manoj Tiwary, Yusuf Pathan and the presence of all-rounders Shakib, Ryan ten Doeschate, Shukla and Bhatia add more strength in the shortest format of the game.

So with confidence on their side and a well-knit unit expect the Knights from Kolkata to go all-out in attack mode as they look to retain their IPL crown and prove that last year's triumph was no mere flash in the pan.
Strengths: A strong top order led by Gambhir, variety in bowling attack with a good mix of pacers like Lee, Balaji, attacking spinners in Narine, Shakib Abdulla and  containing slow medium pacers in Shukla, Bhatia.
Weaknesses: An unsettled middle and lower batting order which can show a tendency of collapsing against sharp bowling attacks.

Hot Players:

Gautam Gambhir

He was in blistering form in last season's edition and as the skipper the onus will be on him to deliver at the top of the order. Should he get going and provide those explosive starts the Knight Riders are well poised to give others a run for their money while defending the trophy.

Manvinder Bisla

Coupled with is wicket-keeping skills Bisla is also an attacking batsman. His match-winning performance in the 2012 final against Chennai is a testament to his value in the KKR batting line-up. He is one of the key players in the team this season for he is also the one who can bat through the innings and keep the scoreboard ticking.

Laxmipathy Balaji

While he may go for runs, Balaji still remains a vital cog in the Knight Rider's bowling arsenal. They will look to him to get the early wickets and keep the batsmen in check early on in the innings. Should he get into rhythm, Balaji can be more than a handful for any batsman.

Sunil Narine

Last year this novice burst on the scene with his crucial spells that had batsmen tied in a web. He is expected to repeat his performance this time round and should he be able to do so then it will pay huge dividends to his team. With his ability to bamboozle the batsmen, Narine can strangle the runs in the middle overs and even in the latter stages of the innings.

Jacques Kallis

As a genuine all-rounder, Kallis provides an extra bowling option and lends balance to the batting. This is the key for a team in a format where one over changes the course of the game. Trust this old warhorse to show his class and one should not forget his fielding skills which end up saving important runs.

Brendon McCullum

His epic knock of 158 not out is still a part of IPL folklore. While he may not have been able to reproduce such an innings later on one is aware that if he is half as destructive as he was then, the opposition can be shut out of the game. McCullum can turn a match on its head by his bold hitting and could be the difference between victory and defeat.

Full squad: Gautam Gambhir (captain), Sarabjit Ladda, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Rajat Bhatia, Manvinder Bisla, Debabrata Das, Brad Haddin, Iqbal Abdulla, Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee, Brendon McCullum, Ryan McLaren, Eoin Morgan, Sunil Narine, Yusuf Pathan, James Pattinson, Pradeep Sangwan, Sachithra Senanayake, Shami Ahmed, Shakib Al Hasan, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Ryan ten Doeschate, Manoj Tiwary.