IPL 2021: Match 54, KKR vs RR Preview, Playing XI, Live Streaming Details & Updates

A victory will certainly ensure KKR a playoff spot.

Published - 06 Oct 2021, 19:36 IST | Updated - 06 Oct 2021, 19:36 IST

4 Min Read

It’s the business end of the 2021 IPL, and as is the case almost every year by this time, the matches hold a greater significance with multiple qualification scenarios brewing up. And so, it is the Kolkata Knight Riders playing the Rajasthan Royals but Mumbai Indians would be keenly watching the contest, with their qualification hopes relying on the result.

For the Knight Riders, who are placed fourth in the tally with 12 points from 13 fixtures, a win will be enough to cement their top-four spot. However, if KKR lose, they would pray that Hyderabad defeats Mumbai in what is set to be the last league encounter of this season, so they can qualify by the virtue of their superior net run rate – the same parameter that denied them a playoff qualification twice in last two years: they finished fifth, tied on points with No. 4 SRH in 2019, before RCB in 2020.

This year is their chance to break that heartbreaking rut, and they still remain the owners of their fate. They enter this contest fresh after a six-wicket victory over Hyderabad but KKR would know that the worrisome form of captain Eoin Morgan and the search for someone to fill the Andre Russel-sized void are prevalent issues.

For Rajasthan Royals, their previous two outings have produced results to the degree of the highest contrast. They romped home comfortably chasing 190 against Chennai Super Kings with seven wickets and 15 balls to spare before being restricted for a sub-100 total against Mumbai Indians in the next, a defeat that wiped off even the slightest bit of advantage they had in the kitty to fancy a qualification.

In a campaign marred by player absences, fluctuating forms and over-reliance on individual brilliance, the Royals would feel they already came a long way down the road to still even stay alive in the qualification. Their net-run-rate denting defeat against Mumbai have virtually knocked them out, and even as a mathematical possibility of qualification remains, the amount of luck it will need to come true is unrealistically high.

Pitch and conditions

“It’s not the greatest T20 pitch in terms of runs, but it is a challenging pitch in terms of coming to terms with it and playing on it,” said RR coach Kumar Sangakkara after his team’s loss against MI. “These types of pitches are challenging and it’s about adapting your game and being smart on it. The first 6 overs will be easy and then it’s the case of building a platform, getting to about 15 overs with wickets in hand so we can capitalise at the back-end. For the bowlers it’s about hitting that back of a length, hitting your cross-seams, fast cutters into the pitch.” Another hot evening and a treacherous surface is likely to be on offer.

Playing combination for KKR vs RR

Kolkata Knight Riders

Both Andre Russell and Lockie Ferguson remain unlikely participants, which means KKR might field the same XI from their previous game. If the latter is available, however, he would come in at the expense of Southee.

Predicted XI: Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w), Eoin Morgan(c), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Shivam Mavi, Tim Southee, Varun Chakravarthy

Rajasthan Royals

The Royals have made seven changed combined in the last two games. They brought in Shreyas Gopal and Kuldip Yadav for Mayank Markande and Akash Singh in the previous game. They might want to slot back Chris Morris, the Player of the Match for his 4/23 in the reverse fixture from the Indian leg, in David Miller’s spot after his forgettable outing against MI.

Predicted XI: Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(w/c), Shivam Dube, Glenn Phillips, David Miller/Chris Morris, Rahul Tewatia, Shreyas Gopal, Kuldip Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya