The two time IPL Champions were robbed off a victory at the Chepauk by the closest of margins. The Knight Riders will be geared up to make the required changes to face the table toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens to avoid two defeats in succession.
Advertisement
Let’s take a look at how the Kolkata franchise will lineup for the high octane fixture.
1) Chris Lynn
The Australian has not got off to a blazing start in the tournament as expected. But with the capabilities of Lynn very much known to the franchise, it is highly unlikely that Lynn would be dropped. Lynn would have to be at his best though considering the strength of the Hyderabad bowling unit.
2) Sunil Narine
The makeshift opener has been a huge blessing for the Knight Riders. The retained star has been a huge asset for the side with the ball as well as with the bat. Kolkata would be banking on the West Indian to tackle on Bhuvi and Co. early on in the innings and negotiate the in-form Shikhar Dhawan with ball in hand
3) Robin Uthappa
The long time Knight Rider has looked in sublime touch so far and has been dismissed under unfortunate circumstances. With him being relieved of wicket keeping duties, the Karnataka born player will look forward to spending some time in the middle to rack the runs on the board for the side in this fixture.
4) Nitish Rana
Along with Uthappa, Nitish Rana has also helped himself with good starts but is having a hard time converting them into a big score. With the touch that he is in, a big knock will not be far away, which is why the former Mumbai Indians player is a certain addition to this lineup.
5) Dinesh Karthik
The skipper has allowed youngster Rana by demoting himself to No. 5. While Karthik struggled against CSK, he can play a dual role at number 5, that of rebuilding an innings or launching a death overs attack.
6) Shubman Gill
The idea of a floater batsman in the form of Rinku Singh has not helped the side so far which brings in the need for Shubman Gill. The U-19 world Cup winner showed his attacking prowess at the tournament and hence deserves a chance in the squad.
7) Andre Russell
Coming off after playing one of the most entertaining innings in the format at Chepauk, Russell will be glued to this side, having the ability to turn around the game single handedly across all departments.
8) Piyush Chawla
The leg spinner had a forgettable game against the Super Kings and would be hoping to make amends in today’s clash at Eden Gardens. Chawla will be looking to exploit the relatively new middle order of Sunrisers Hyderabad.
9) Kuldeep Yadav
The final straw to the spin trio, the side banks heavily on Yadav’s variations as a chinaman. The youngster is having a lackluster start to the season having just claimed a single wicket and an economy exceeding 9. But a change in the spin department seems unlikely for KKR as the trio can turn a game on its head on their day.
10)Mitchell Johnson
The left arm pacer would be a welcome addition to the squad having missing their trip to Chennai. Johnson is expected to replace Tom Curran who had a forgettable debut having being taken apart by Sam Billings. Johnson will look forward to remove the dangerous Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order early on.
11) Shivam Mavi
It is high time that the talented youngster is handed a debut, this is the perfect opportunity since the experienced Vinay Kumar is undergoing a bad phase. The right arm fast bowler, is one of a kind with the ability to hit 140 kmph on a consistent basis and could prove to be a good replacement for the underperforming veteran.
