In its previous match KKR failed to chase 111 against PBKS. It is the lowest score ever defended in the history of the IPL. It is six since that match, but the Kolkata team would still be hurting with that agonising loss.
In the event, KKR needs to reignite its campaign, and what better place than its home turf at Eden Gardens as it faces the high-flying Gujarat Titans outfit later tonight.
The team has struggled to string together cohesive performances. Tonight, the batting lineup will want Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine, who have been firing in fits and starts, to get going from the start. The middle order featuring captain Ajinkya Rahane, alongside the talented Venkatesh Iyer and the explosive Rinku Singh, has been inconsistent. And that is the real worry for KKR. The firepower of Andre Russell and the all-round abilities of Moeen Ali have also come to the party, as it were.
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KKR's bowling attack remains a potent force, spearheaded by the spin duo of Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, who will look to exploit the conditions at Eden Gardens. The pace attack might consist of Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora, with the express speed of Anrich Nortje adding teeth to its options.
GT is riding high on confidence after a stunning chase against Delhi Capitals in its last outing. Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 97 was the highlight of that match, and the Titans now sit comfortably at the top of the table with five wins from seven games. The Gujarat Titans will be aiming to consolidate its position against an underperforming title-holder KKR. Sai Sudharsan and the explosive Jos Buttler have been doing the heavy lifting in the batting. The captain Shubman Gill has not been far behind, but his form has been patchy. The hard-hitting Shahrukh Khan and the experienced Rahul Tewatia, known for their game-changing cameos, are also crucial to GT. Rashid Khan's bowling form is a real cause for worry to the GT. But Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj, supported by the left-arm spin of Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, have managed things well for the GT bowling attack.
Prasidh Krishna is the current Purple Cap holder with 14 wickets at an average of 14.75 this season. Sai Sudharsan, who has amassed 365 runs at an average of 52.14, is second in the Orange Cap leader board. For KKR, Varun Chakaravarthy and Harshit Rana have been their standout bowlers, with 10 wickets each. So the battle would be interesting.
The head-to-head record slightly favours Gujarat, having won two out of the three encounters against KKR so far.
Statistically, Eden Gardens has generally been a good batting track this season, with an average first innings score hovering around 175-180. However, the spinners are also expected to get some assistance as the game progresses.
Tonight’s match is possibly KKR's final chance to bounce back and keep its playoff hopes alive.
Probable teams:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Anrich Nortje, Varun Chakaravarthy. Impact Player: Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma. Impact Player: Sherfane Rutherford.
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