IPL 2023, KKR vs RR: Resurgent Kolkata faces struggling Rajasthan, aims to break into top-4

A resurgent former two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look for its third straight victory in its fight for survival when it faces a struggling former champion Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Thursday. Facing must-win scenarios, the two-time champion showed tremendous resilience to bounce back into the reckoning after its wins over former champion SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), both in dramatic last-ball finishes.

The wins have boosted its sagging morale and taken the side to sixth place from eighth on the points table. Four teams, including KKR and RR, are locked on 10 points in a mid-table traffic rush for the playoffs. RR may be ahead on net run rate (NRR), but the equation could change quickly if KKR continues its winning run, as a victory for either side will take it into the top four.

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While KKR is high on confidence after two thrilling wins, the Royals -- last season's runners-up -- would be at their lowest ebb after three defeats. The Royals had posted 200-plus totals but were done in by some baffling strategies in two of their three losses, which has led to a must-win scenario for them as well.

KKR would again rely on Varun Chakravarthy, the central character in both previous wins, regarding key battles and team strategies. Having defended nine runs in the last over against SRH, Chakravarthy's 3/26 made all the difference against PBKS. At a time their seasoned slow bowler Sunil Narine finds it challenging to get wickets, Chakravarthy has emerged as KKR's spin spearhead with 17 wickets this season.

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While KKR's think-tank refuses to give up on Narine, who has just one wicket in the last eight matches, it's Chakravarthy's four overs which would again be crucial. With the KKR team management not bowling World Test Championship final-bound Shardul Thakur against PBKS, the pace department needed more experience.

Had it not been for the heroics of Rinku Singh and Andre Russell, the seam duo of Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana would have almost lost the match after leaking 36 runs in the last two overs against PBKS. It remains to be seen if KKR will utilise the services of a "fit-again" Shardul in the crunch match. Against a batter-heavy Royals with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson in fine form, KKR would hope its bowlers get their act together.

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While KKR needs to plug the gaps in the pace bowling department, the Royals must take a fresh look at their bowling strategy. Defending 214 against SRH, the Royals' decision to give Kuldip Yadav the penultimate over instead of Obed McCoy backfired as the rookie seamer conceded 24 runs. The biggest positive for KKR in its win over PBKS has been the return to form of the big-hitting Andre Russell (42 runs off 23 balls).

The Jamaican was at his vintage best when he demolished Sam Curran with three sixes in a match-flipping 20-run penultimate over. While skipper Nitish Rana has been the backbone of their batting, Rinku's emergence as a finisher is coming off well for the team. From the Royals' perspective, the Rana, Rinku, and Russell trio would be their main threats. Their battle against the Royals' spin-bowling stalwarts Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal in the middle overs could prove decisive.

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Squads:
KKR: Nitish Rana (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Jason Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, N. Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Mandeep Singh, Aarya Desai and Johnson Charles.
PBKS: Sanju Samson (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Joe Root, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, Murugan Ashwin, Akash Vashisht and Abdul PA.

Match details
Date and day: May 11, 2023 (Thursday)
Venue: Eden Gardens Stadium, Kolkata
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and other Star Sports regional language channels - Also available in HD
Where to watch (Online): JioCinema