Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Rajasthan Royals in their home game at the Eden Gardens. Last time the two teams met, it was the Royals who came out as winners. But things have changed somewhat in the tournament. Last time Rajasthan were coming on the back of a win and KKR had lost the previous encounter. This time around, it’s completely the opposite -- RR lost to Mumbai Indians whereas KKR defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore comfortably.

KKR will walk into the match as clear favorites; they comprehensively defeated RCB and outclassed them in every department. Their opener Kallis and Gambhir laid a good foundation and Manvinder Bisla played an explosive innings. In the bowling department, all their bowlers bowled according to the plan and never gave any opportunity to RCB batsmen to free their arms.

Rajasthan on the other hand had a tough match against the title contenders Mumbai Indians. Rahul Dravid, captain of RR decided to put the opposition in to bat only to see they put up a score close to 200. The Royals did bat well and came close to winning the match but fell short in the end. One thing is for sure, that the people who will turn up to see the match will be in for entertainment as both these teams have some world class players in their bank. Let’s have a look at some of these players.

Rajasthan Royals:

Owais Shah: It is not only because of his last match’s performance that he is in the list, but because of his consistent form in this format. Shah is one of the most prolific run-getter in T20’s. He plays a lot in the domestic circuit and travels all round the world to play in the shortest format of the game. Shah showed what he is capable of in the last match and going by some of the strokes that he played, he will be a threat to KKR.

Rahul Dravid: One of the greatest batsmen in world cricket is still to have an impact in this season. He had starts in the first two matches but was not able to convert it into big score. In the last match he tried to pull a delivery and gave an easy catch very early in the innings. Dravid has the capability of hitting some good ground strokes as he can find the gaps with ease. The Royals will be hoping some runs from their captain as it can really help their cause.

Amit Singh: He is one of the most under-rated bowlers in IPL, but he sure is very effective. He has a nag of taking early wickets and bowls consistently in good areas. He bowls some good in-swingers with the new ball and is very effective with his cutters and the change of pace once the ball gets old.

Kevon Cooper: This young West Indian all-rounder is in the race for the purple cap. He has an awkward action and disguises his slower deliveries very well. Cooper can bowl quickly if he wants and he keeps the batsmen guessing all the time. The Royals will be hoping for another good spell from this bowler.

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Gautam Gambhir: Gambhir played a breathtaking innings the last time he came out to bat. He tormented the RCB bowlers, hitting them to every corner of the ground. Gambhir did a wise thing by promoting himself on the top of the order as he and Kallis put up the best opening partnership for the KKR this season. The Royals will have to get this left-hander out of their way or else he will make them pay.

Manoj Tiwary: He has been one of the most consistent batsmen for the KKR team. The last time these two teams met, he was the highest run-scorer in the match. Tiwary will have to a play a bigger role as his more fancied teammate Yusuf Pathan is having a torrid time in the tournament. Tiwary is a good finisher and is electric on the field.

Jacques Kallis: He hasn’t made much influence with the bat, but he surely has bowled well. He was the man who took the all important wicket of Chris Gayle in the match against RCB. Kallis is one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of cricket and he can trouble any batsmen on his day. He can bowl with good pace and has a dangerous bouncer.

Rajat Bhatia: This all-rounder from Delhi may not have the same persona as his other teammates but his role is equally important in the team. He bowls in the middle of the innings and is a very deceptive bowler. He bowls stump to stump and never gives any room for the batsmen to hit. He has taken some crucial wickets for KKR in the past and the Royals will be very much aware of that.

By Gaurav Jha

Indian Sports News