The upcoming match between KKR and Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens in Kolkata is expected to be a crucial one for both teams. KKR has won three out of their last four games, while RR has lost five of their last six games. Rinku Singh, who won the Player-of-the-Match award in IPL against RR last year, will be in focus once again. KKR will likely follow the same strategy that brought them success against Punjab Kings on a slightly dry pitch, which allowed their spinners to come into play without compromising too much on the batting. On the other hand, RR has two of India’s best spinners and a batting line-up that can handle the bounce on offer.
KKR has won 13 out of the 24 encounters between the two teams in IPL. In their last five encounters, KKR has won three games, while RR has won two.
The probable 11 for KKR includes Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Jason Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana(c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Vaibhav Arora/Umesh Yadav, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakaravarthy. For RR, the probable 11 includes Jos Buttler, Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(c), Liam Livingstone, Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Chetan Sakariya.
The weather forecast predicts no rain during the match, but the conditions may change quickly due to the cyclonic conditions in the vicinity. The groundsmen have covered the entire field of play on the eve of the match, expecting overnight rain.
Both teams have a lot to play for, and a win here would be crucial for their playoff hopes. KKR has the home advantage and the crowd behind them, making them the favorites. However, T20 cricket is unpredictable, and RR will be looking to pull off an upset.
