IPL 2021: Kings XI Punjab needs to target these three players, says Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir felt that inclusion of these three players will change the outlook of the team.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has come up with three players who Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) needs to target in the upcoming IPL 2021 auction, which will take place on February 18 in Chennai.

The IPL 2021 Player Auction list was announced last week, with a total of 292 cricketers set to go under the hammer in Chennai on Thursday.

KXIP was unlucky not to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2020 as they lost a bunch of matches in the middle of the tournament, ending up with 6 wins from 14 matches and finished on no.6 in the IPL 2020 points table.

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"They were a bit unlucky; I would say. One of the games I still remember obviously was against Delhi Capitals, one game was against KKR where they missed by an inch. But there are no excuses; ultimately if you don't win, you don't win - as simple as it gets," said Gambhir on Star Sports' show Cricket Connected- Auction Special.

"You have been in the competition to win, there are always small margins but at the same time they might have to probably strengthen their Indian bowling because apart from Mohd Shami there is no one who could complement him," he added.

Saying that the 2014 IPL finalists KXIP needed some more firepower to support Mohammed Shami in the pace department, Gambhir said that the franchise should target the likes of Umesh Yadav, New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson, and South African Chris Morris. Jamieson and Morris also give Kings XI Punjab batting capabilities down the order.

"Probably Umesh Yadav will be a very good pick - Mohd Shami and Umesh Yadav bowling with a new ball; so, they can actually rotate their fast bowlers. If you have got two Indian bowlers bowling with the new ball, it can actually open one gap for you from an overseas point of view - so they can have someone like Chris Morris who can bowl well in the death as well, and at the same time Kyle Jamieson - so they can pick both of them," Gambhir said.

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"Imagine if you have Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Kyle Jamieson, and Chris Morris plus two leg spinners with Umesh Yadav and Mohd Shami. Your batting becomes such a dangerous batting, you have got a very good Indian talent - you have Mayank Aggarwal, KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran, Chris Gayle, Mandeep Singh, Deepak Hooda plus Chris Morris, Kyle Jamieson," he further said.

"I think they should look at someone like Umesh Yadav, Kyle Jamieson, and Chris Morris - these are the three players if they look to target and actually can get them in the auction, which they will because they have so much of money. It will make the entire side look completely different," Gambhir added.

(ANI inputs)