Can Rajasthan Royals break their recent slump and secure second place?
Match Details
- Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders
- Guwahati, 1400 GMT
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A Rematch of the Potential Final?
A few weeks ago, this match could have been a preview of the IPL final. Rajasthan Royals dominated the early season, even holding the top spot for a while. However, a recent slump, including four consecutive losses, has thrown their campaign into question.
Rajasthan’s Struggles
This isn’t the first time Rajasthan has struggled in the later stages. In the past two seasons, they started strong but faded towards the playoffs. A win here would be crucial to break that pattern and secure a crucial second-place finish, granting them a direct entry to the first qualifier.
Kolkata on a Roll
Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders are riding high on a four-match winning streak. They’ve already secured their place in the first qualifier and are eyeing the championship title. This match could be an opportunity for them to experiment with their lineup, potentially replacing underperforming players or finalizing their strategy for crucial playoff matches.
Expected Playing XIs
- Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer/Rovman Powell, R Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal, Nadre Burger/Donovan Ferreira/Keshav Maharaj
- Kolkata Knight Riders: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Shreyas Iyer (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora/Suyash Sharma
Key Players in the Spotlight
- Tom Kohler-Cadmore (RR): Replacing Jos Buttler, Kohler-Cadmore needs to provide some firepower at the top of the order.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (KKR): The young Afghan opener will be looking to make a mark against a strong RR bowling attack.
Bowling Matchup
- Samson has contrasting records against KKR spinners. He struggles against Narine but enjoys success against Chakravarthy.
- Similar story for Powell, who fares poorly against Narine but thrives against Russell.
- Hetmyer has limited experience against KKR spinners.
- Narine enjoys a dominant record against RR spinners, particularly Ashwin.
Pitch and Conditions
The pitch at Guwahati is known to be low-scoring, a score of 150+ is expected. Hot and humid conditions with a chance of rain later in the evening.