IPL 10, Match 27, KKR v RCB Preview: Off track Royal Challengers Bangalore face mighty Knight Riders

The Kolkata Knight Riders lost their previous home game against Gujarat Lions a couple of days ago.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore
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Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: BCCI)

The Kolkata Knight Riders were stunned at their home venue at Eden Gardens by the Gujarat Lions recently. The venue at Kolkata was supposed to be their fortress but a sudden jolt has given a reality check to the Knight Riders. They are now up against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. RCB is hungry to notch up wins to their name this season. Despite having done well in spells, they have failed to register wins.

It has always been a case of not being able to get their pieces together to compile a complete performance. However, in the last couple of matches, they have managed to get their balance of the side. Coming in to this game, they have been bolstered by the return of their star overseas players. While this might look very pleasing at the onset, things might only lead up to the selection conundrums for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Talking about the Kolkata Knight Riders, they have the most settled side in the tournament along with Mumbai Indians. Only these two sides have managed to strike the right balance in their playing eleven thus far. KKR will hope to get back to the winning ways. As the KKR bowling coach L Balaji noted, they will be focusing on their basics in this particular game. Moreover, the advantage of playing in front of the home crowd is something that will benefit them, feels Balaji.

Toss: RCB won the toss and opted to field

Match starts at 20:30 IST

Virat Kohli: We will bowl first. It’s a pretty good wicket, might be a bit tacky with the new ball, will look to exploit it. It’s a good chasing ground. Two changes. AB de Villiers is back and Badree is back as well. They replace Shane Watson and Travis Head.

Gautam Gambhir: We would have loved to bowl first as well, but you can’t manage the toss. We will have to put up a good score on the board and defend it. One change for us, Colin de Grandhomme replaces Shakib Al Hasan.

Focus will be on

Virat Kohli

RCB skipper Virat Kohli missed the first few games of the season and that hurt the side very badly. However, since his return, he has managed to show the same form that he did last year in the tournament. He scored 62 off 47 balls in the first game that he played this season. In the previous game for RCB, he came up with another fifty to his name. For RCB batting to click, they have been heavily relying on the top order to fire. With Chris Gayle being an unpredictable character, the onus is bound to come on Virat Kohli.

Yusuf Pathan

Hard-hitting all-rounder Yusuf Pathan has evolved a great deal as a player. Needless to say, that he has become more mature and composed at the crease. He showed the same spirit when he had stitched a 110 run stand with Manish Pandey in the match against Delhi Daredevils. He got a decent start in the previous fixture as well. Considering the kind of form he has been in the last few games, the KKR middle order will be relying on him to provide the ideal finish to the innings.

Robin Uthappa

Robin Uthappa has had a very confusing stay at the crease this season. He found himself being demoted in the batting order and that has seen him batting at the number three slot. He has performed well in a few games thus far in the season and has failed to click on other occasions. He has lacked consistency with the bat and that is something that is not only hurting him on the personal level but also not helping the team cause. Uthappa needs to step up and take responsibility especially when the opening combination is not settled.

Team Combination – Kolkata Knight Riders

The Kolkata Knight Riders look very settled in their combinations at the moment. Gautam Gambhir will see Sunil Narine open the innings with him especially after having seen the latter hit quick runs in the previous game. The middle order has the likes of Manish Pandey, Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan – all of them have got runs under their belt thus far in the season.

Suryakumar Yadav, despite having failed in the season till now, will get another go in the match. The bowling department has been very settled and the addition of Shakib Al Hasan has only bolstered their lineup. Kuldeep Yadav will be the third spinner along with Shakib and Narine. In the pace department, Chris Woakes, Umesh Yadav and Nathan Coulter-Nile have done decently enough to retain their places in the side.

Team Combination – Royal Challengers Bangalore

The Royal Challengers have been plagued by injuries this season. On most occasions, they have suffered because of the lack of proper combinations and last moment replacements. They will be a much-relieved camp before this game as the big guns AB de Villiers and Tymal Mills have reportedly been declared fit. AB will walk in the side at the expense of Travis Head. The problem would arise over the selection of Tymal Mills.

Mills was replaced by Adam Milne in the last two games. Milne had performed decently and hence it will be a tough call to make him sit out of the game. However, Mills is likely to have a go ahead of Milne. The fitness concerns over Samuel Badree persists. Whether Badree gets fit or not is something that remains to be seen. In case he gets fit, he will replace Shane Watson in the lineup.

Playing XI:

Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir(c), Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa(w), Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Suryakumar Yadav, Colin de Grandhomme, Chris Woakes, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Umesh Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Kedar Jadhav(w), Mandeep Singh, Stuart Binny, Pawan Negi, Adam Milne, Sreenath Aravind, Samuel Badree, Yuzvendra Chahal

StatAttack

3 – Number of RCB batsmen with 20 or more fifties in the IPL (Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, and Virat Kohli).

33 – Number of fifties hit by Gautam Gambhir in IPL – this is next to only David Warner’s tally of 34 fifties.

262 – Number of sixes hit by Chris Gayle in IPL. He stands with a country mile lead with Suresh Raina being the next in the list with 167.

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