IPL 2023: KKR Appointed Nitish Rana as New Captain in Place of Injured Shreyas Iyer

KKR Appointed Nitish Rana as New Captain: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced that middle-order batsman Nitish Rana will be leading the team in the upcoming IPL 2023 season, as the previous captain, Shreyas Iyer, is set to undergo back surgery.

The franchise announced on Monday, stating that while they are hopeful for Iyer’s recovery, Rana will be taking on the responsibility of captaincy in his absence.

Rana has been a part of KKR since 2018, and his leadership experience in white-ball cricket as well as his familiarity with the IPL will prove to be an asset to the team. The 29-year-old has previously captained Delhi in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, winning eight out of 12 T20 matches.

KKR’s statement also expressed confidence in Rana’s ability to implement the strategies set by head coach Chandrakant Pandit, with support from the experienced leaders within the team.

“…Nitish Rana would captain the side in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, who is recovering from a back injury. While we are hopeful that Shreyas will recover and participate at some stage in the IPL 2023 edition, we feel fortunate that Nitish, with the captaincy experience having led his state side in white ball cricket and the IPL experience he has had with KKR since 2018, will do a great job,” KKR said in a statement.

“We are also confident that under head coach Chandrakant Pandit and the support staff, he will get all the support needed off the field, and the highly experienced leaders in the squad will provide all support that Nitish may need on the field. We wish him the best in his new role and Shreyas a full and speedy recovery,” it further stated.

Rana’s appointment as captain comes as a surprise to many, considering his recent drop from Delhi’s Ranji Trophy squad due to poor form and technique in red-ball cricket. However, KKR’s decision to select Rana as the new skipper could be attributed to his impressive performances for the franchise in the IPL.

In his 74 matches for KKR, Rana has scored 1744 runs at a strike rate of 135.61. With the added responsibility of captaincy, Rana will undoubtedly be looking to lead from the front and continue his good form for the team.

Kolkata Knight Riders will play their first match of the season against Punjab Kings at Mohali on the 1st of April.. Fans will be eagerly waiting to see how Rana performs as captain and whether he can lead KKR to glory in the upcoming season.

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