IPL 2021: Match 31 KKR vs RCB Preview, Playing XI, Live Streaming Details & Updates

In a normal world, September-October were never the months to discuss the IPL, let alone being in the middle of it. But normal world… Doesn’t that sound a myth? Alas, yes. And so, twice in two years do we have the IPL staged in months the tournament usually never had any business with.

While the tournament-resuming duties have been laid in the hands of two IPL giants – Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings – the tournament, in a sense, would resume in its truest sense with these two teams – Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders – taking on each other.

139 days ago, the postponement of an encounter between these teams had set the ball of IPL’s cancellation rolling. It would only prove a hiatus, though. For far too many reasons, the cancellation of IPL is a catastrophe of Covid-19 proportions for the BCCI. So, a hiatus is all it was always going to be. And must we admit, the tournament’s resumption does infuse some hope in a time when matches get rescheduled/cancelled/abandoned more often than being played.

So, back to business. The tournament is no longer in the geographical bounds of India, the momentum is all gone and lost and needs to rebuild. Some might look towards this as a second instalment, others might as well want to look towards this as an entirely new start. Neither of the approaches is wrong, only that the latter is marginally flawed when you take into account the IPL points table, which, unlike at the start of a fresh season, has already a story written over it for now.

And it’s a drop-dead contrast as far as these two teams are concerned: The Royal Challengers Bangalore have as many wins as the Kolkata Knight Riders have losses, and as many losses as their Monday rivals have wins. Plenty has gone well for RCB this season, who remain in firm contention of qualifying for the playoffs. The same, however, could not be said for KKR, who will find themselves running out of time right from the onset in the second leg.

Glenn Maxwell has been the antidote of RCB’s long-standing Kohli-ABD over-reliance problem and Harshal Patel, the current Purple Cap holder, has been a revelation at the death. AB de Villiers has continued to do things what only he can, while Rajat Patidar has done enough to earn what Devdutt Padikkal earned long back: captain’s vote of confidence. Plenty of good things, in short.

But worries will be around the form of their ever-so-reliable but far-for-his-prime Virat Kohli, and Yuzvendra Chahal, whose dip in form has been comprehended by Indian selectors as grave enough to drop him out of the T20 World Cup squad.

The Challengers also have plenty of changes in their artillery, with Finn Allen, Adam Zampa, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Washington Sundar, all out due to a combination of personal reasons and injuries. However, skipper Kohli remains confident about each one of RCB’s new signings: Tim David, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, George Garton, Akash Deep. To the end of change, RCB will not be donning their usual red, but a blue for a noble cause against KKR on September 20.

Kolkata Knight Riders, on the other hand, have troubles aplenty as things continued to go south for them. A lacklustre top-order, lack of intent with both bat and ball, big names misfiring in the middle-order, inability to score at the death, inability to pick wickets regularly, a World Cup-winning captain with diminishing returns with the bat, and questionable on-field tactics. The combined result of all that is their current standing. In a pool of troubles, there is an added as one of their very few performers from the first leg, Pat Cummins, is unavailable for the second leg. A promising replacement in Tim Southee joins them, nonetheless.

Can the KKR break the shackles in the second leg and do what their coach Brendon McCullum expects them to do?

Pitch and conditions

Abu Dhabi in domestic T20Is as a venue gives little hint to captains what to do upon winning the toss – 26-27 win-loss record of chasing. A hot evening is expected for the players, with handy assistance for the spinners.

Playing combination for KKR vs RCB

Kolkata Knight Riders

The lack of an enforcer in the top-order has been at the heart of KKR’s batting woes. Neither of their top three have shown the ability to change gears, with both their openers’ strike rate being sub-120 this season. While the team has enough depth with Morgan, Karthik and Russell following, their skipper’s poor returns (92 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 112.19) has meant they have been found wanting there too on occasions.

After Cummins’ exit who  picked 9 wickets in the first leg of the season, the vacant spot will be up for grabs between Lockie Ferguson or Tim Southee. While Ferguson beats Southee in pace, the latter’s ability to take wickets might prompt KKR to opt him over the former.

Predicted XI: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan (C), Sunil Narine, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Andre Russell, Tim Southee/Lockie Ferguson, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy, Shivam Mavi

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Given his recent form, Wanindu Hasarnga is likely to be slotted into the XI straight in place of injured and ruled-out Washington Sundar.

Predicted XI: Virat Kohli (C), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (WK), Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

KKR vs RCB Head to Head

Played – 27 | Royal Challengers Bangalore – 13 | Kolkata Knight Riders – 14

KKR vs RCB Broadcast Details

Match Timings – 7:30 PM IST

TV – Star Sports Network

Live Streaming – Disney+Hotstar