KKR Team
A. India Players
Gautam Gambhir – $2.4million (approx Rs 11.04 crore)
Yusuf Pathan – $2.1million (Rs 9.66 crore)
Manoj Tiwary – $475,000
Lakshmipathy Balaji – $500,000
Jaidev Unadkat – $250,000
B. Foreigners:
Jacques Kallis – $1.1 million. (Rs 5.06 crore)
Shakib al Hasan – $425,000
Brett Lee – $400,000
Eoin Morgan – $350,000
Brad Haddin – $325,000
Ryan ten Doeschate – $150,000
James Pattinson – $100,000
C. Uncapped players:
Laxmi Ratan Shukla – Bengal – All rounder
Iqbal Abdulla – Mumbai – Bowler
Manvinder Singh Bisla – Harayana – Batsman
Rajat Bhatia – Delhi – All rounder
Shreevats Goswami – Bengal – Wicketkeeper
Mohammad Shami Ahmed – Bengal – Bowler
Pradeep Sangwan – Delhi – Bowler
Sarabjit Ladda – Punjab – Bowler
Eden Gardens went half full (or half empty) on KKR's first home match and those present were mostly on complimentary tickets. Although, last year and in the first season (second season was held in South Africa) KKR fared badly but still Eden was almost always full.
The reasons could be:
1. The prince of Kolkata was ignored in the auction and KKR without Sourav Ganguly is more like Khan Knight Riders than Kolkata Knight Riders.
2. No connect with the city (owned by a group of people who have no connect with the city, only 1 player from Bengal in the playing XI).
3. First day of the week 8 p.m. match (Bangalore had an 8 p.m. middle of the week game versus Mumbai Indians and again full house)
4. Elections around the corner (Chennai too has elections but stadium was almost full).
5. Cricket fatigue or overdose of cricket (all matches in all venues would have been affected had this one been a factor).
KKR team management already has cut down on the price of the tickets for the next matches of KKR as a desperate measure to bring in the crowds. One may expect more of complimentary tickets going out and even contests (with questions as difficult as "what is the capital of West Bengal") on the FM doling out tickets of KKR matches, or other innovative techniques after all desperate times call for desperate measures and KKR management has already started taking desperate measures.
KKR might do well this season and even end up in a podium finish, but it definitely has lost the hearts of the city it claims to represent.
