Kolkata went into the IPL4 auction with a plan to address the shortage of local talent which had cost them dearly in recent seasons.

To that end, they spent half their cash on acquiring two Indian superstars, Gautam Gambhir ($2.4m) and Yusuf Pathan ($2.1m).

Another $1.1m was spent on Jacques Kallis, which didn't leave much money for the bowling attack. Brett Lee is the spearhead, but none of the other seamers, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Jaidev Unadkat and Pradeep Sangwan, is a household name.

Strengths

The Knight Riders' batting is formidable. With their watertight techniques, Kallis and Gambhir should ensure solid starts.

Gambhir is coming off a match-winning performance in the World Cup final and Kallis was the second-highest run scorer in the IPL last year after Sachin Tendulkar.

Unlike Tendulkar Kallis can get bogged down, putting pressure on the other batsmen to score quickly.

Fortunately the Knight Riders' talented middle-order is eminently capable of getting a spurt on. The imaginative Irishman Eoin Morgan, Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan and Australian wicket-keeper-batsman Brad Haddin, are as exciting a middle order triumvirate as any in the tournament.

Weaknesses

Veteran Aussie quick Brett Lee has looked close to his best in recent months, but his ageing frame is now prone to injury and had a lot of demands made of it during this year's interminable one-day series with England and then the World Cup.

If Lee gets injured the Kolkata seam bowling will lack fast-bowling options and their spin attack is not strong enough to compensate.

Iqbal Abdulla is the only specialist spinner, which is a heavy burden for a youngster to carry.

Shakib and Yousuf will no doubt contribute with the ball, but Kolkata do seem somewhat lop-sided in favour of batting strength at the expense of their bowling.

Key men: Jacques Kallis, Gautam Gambhir, Brett Lee

2010 position: Sixth

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