Navi Mumbai : Two-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders will be aiming to break-their three-match losing streak and get their 2022 campaign back on track when they face a tough test in table-toppers Gujarat Titans at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Shreyas Iyer-led side needed 40 runs off 24 balls to win against Rajasthan Royals when leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal struck with a hat-trick to lose by seven runs. On the other hand, Gujarat didn’t have regular captain Hardik Pandya but still won against Chennai Super Kings by three wickets on the back of an unbeaten 94 from David Miller and stand-in skipper Rashid Khan chipping in with a valuable cameo of 40.
For Kolkata, Shreyas has been the top run-scorer for them in IPL 2022, making 236 runs in seven matches at an average of 39.33 and strike-rate of 148.42 with two fifties. But he would hope for his opening combination to deliver. With Ajinkya Rahane out of side after initial five matches, Aaron Finch and Venkatesh Iyer were tried out.
But against Rajasthan, they made a lot of changes to their batting line-up like opening with Sunil Narine alongside Finch. Andre Russell was slotted at five while Venkatesh was kept at six and Pat Cummins held back for number nine. In the bowling as well, everyone apart from Sunil Narine took a severe beating.
On the other hand, Gujarat too have their issues with opening combination but Shubman Gill, the ex-Kolkata opener, has notched up impressive half-centuries in 84 and 96 and how he faces up against Narine will be a interesting battle. Replacing an out-of-sorts Matthew Wade with Wriddhiman Saha is yet to yield results while Vijay Shankar has been enduring a bad run at number three.
In their batting, Pandya has been in great touch while batting at number four, making 228 runs from five innings at an average of 76.00 and strike-rate of 136.52. With the ball as well, Pandya gives the feeling of being a force to reckon with, picking four wickets in five matches at an economy rate of 7.56. He ahs also been supported by Abhinav Manohar providing some finishing fireworks.
With Pandya contributing with the ball, Gujarat’s bowling attack featuring Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson and uncapped Yash Dayal have been great in the tournament. In power-play, Gujarat have taken most wickets with 14 scalps while Kolkata are three behind with 11 wickets. Khan, the leg-spinner, has been at his economical best with an economy rate of 6.66.
Overall, a misfiring Kolkata have a tough task in overcoming a strong Gujarat side if they are to end their three-match losing run in IPL 2022.
Squads:
Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya (captain), Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami, David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Lockie Ferguson, Abhinav Manohar Sadarangani, Rahul Tewatia, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor Ahmad, R. Sai Kishore, Dominic Drakes, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Darshan Nalkande, Yash Dayal, Alzarri Joseph, Pradeep Sangwan, Matthew Wade (wicketkeeper), B. Sai Sudarshan, Gurkeerat Singh Mann and Varun Aaron
Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Sam Billings, Aaron Finch, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Mohammad Nabi, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Baba Indrajith, Chamika Karunaratne, Aman Khan, Abhijeet Tomar, Pratham Singh, Ashok Sharma and Ramesh Kumar
–IANS