Preview by PRASENJIT
The IPL bandwagon for the year 2017 finally hits Kolkata, the home of the two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders. Gautam Gambhir's men will go up against a Kings XI Punjab side that has surprised almost everyone by winning its first two games quite comfortably. Glenn Maxwell's men have won games by being quietly efficient on the field even while they talk of playing a more free-spirited game. KKR meanwhile have blown hot and cold, thrashing Gujarat Lions in their opening game before lacklustre bowling and catching cost them the game against Mumbai Indians.
Going into their first home fixture of the season, KKR are the latest to be hit by the injury bug that has plagued IPL 10. Chris Lynn, who stole the show in KKR's opening game had an unfortunate recurrence of a troublesome shoulder injury, which has sidelined him for at least a few more games. But KKR will be boosted by the arrival of Shakib Al Hasan and Umesh Yadav who have joined the team ahead of this clash.
KKR are a team that approach the T20 game with a fixed formula. They have a good, set batting line-up before the wrist spinners and Sunil Narine come into play. It's a formula that has worked well more often than not and it is not going to change too much for this game either.
In just two games this season, KXIP too have shown an inclination to sticking to a plan. The top-order batsmen build a good base before the likes of Glenn Maxwell and David Miller bring in the firepower. They have also been lucky with the bowling form of the likes of Axar Patel and Varun Aaron, who have managed to create an impact.
The batting plan might still do with a bit of tinkering if the situation calls for the firepower to come in earlier than they would, but the onus will be on Maxwell and Miller to deliver every time, while they hope for the bowlers to continue their good show.
History: KKR have had the wood over KXIP over the seasons, winning 13 of the 19 games against them, including the last seven encounters on the trot. The record is even better in Eden Gardens, with the home side winning six out of eight.
When: April 13, 08:00 PM IST
Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
What to expect: The pitch has a tinge of green and there is likely to be assistance for the pacers.
Team news:
KKR: The injury to Lynn will force Kolkata to make a change and Shakib Al Hasan is likely to replace him. The change will also make KKR go back to their trusted opening combination of Gambhir and Robin Uthappa. Ankit Rajpoot could also make way for Umesh Yadav.
KXIP: After two wins, including a resounding one against RCB in their previous game, KXIP are unlikely to tinker with their winning combination.
What they said:
"We know how aggressive a player Maxwell is. Maxwell and Viru bhai (Sehwag)have told us to play freely and without thinking much. If your role is to score 20 off 10, then just go and express yourself. That's a big plus point and something that was on full display in the last two matches. We have won in 15-16 overs. A big plus for the side." - Wriddhiman Saha
Did you know:
- A win for KKR against KXIP would give them their eighth successive victory against them - the joint-most for any team against an opposition. RCB also had eight consecutive wins against DD.
- Sunil Narine has taken 22 wickets against KXIP in 11 matches at an average of 13.00 and economy rate of 6.50.
- Umesh Yadav has won three Man of the Match awards against KXIP - the most by any specialist bowler against a team in IPL.
Teams:
Kings XI Punjab (From): Manan Vohra, Hashim Amla, Glenn Maxwell(c), Wriddhiman Saha(w), David Miller, Axar Patel, Marcus Stoinis, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan, Varun Aaron, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Anureet Singh, Shaun Marsh, Nikhil Naik, KC Cariappa, Armaan Jaffer, Pardeep Sahu, Swapnil Singh, Eoin Morgan, Matt Henry, Rahul Tewatia, Martin Guptill, Darren Sammy, Rinku Singh, Ishant Sharma
Kolkata Knight Riders (From): Gautam Gambhir(c), Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa(w), Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Suryakumar Yadav, Chris Woakes, Sunil Narine, Ankit Rajpoot, Kuldeep Yadav, Trent Boult, Shakib Al Hasan, Umesh Yadav, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Sheldon Jackson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Darren Bravo, Rishi Dhawan, Rovman Powell, Ishank Jaggi, Sayan Ghosh, Ramsingh Sanjay Yadav, Colin de Grandhomme
