IPL 2024 – Match 31: KKR vs RR Match Preview, Playing XI, Players to Watch, Key Stats
Both KKR and RR lost only one match in the IPL 2024 so far.
The 31st game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 will witness the clash of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Eden Gardens on April 16, on Tuesday.
Kolkata and Rajasthan have played each other for 28 games in the IPL. In these 28 games, Kolkata have won 14 whereas Rajasthan has 13 wins to their name. 1 match ended without a result.
Eden Gardens has been a flat deck where stroke-making hasn’t been a tough job, and in a night game where there is a high chance of dew coming in, the captain winning the toss will chase.
Kolkata Knight Riders are coming off a victory in their previous encounter. Their batting has successfully followed the ‘no holds barred’ approach while their bowling has been at its best in the tournament.
Rajasthan Royals too are coming off a victory in a nail-biting thriller. Their batting has been wonderful until now, if they sort their bowling, especially death bowling, they will be serious title contenders.
Match Details:
- Date: 16 April 2024
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
KKR vs RR Probable Playing XI:
Kolkata Knight Riders
Phil Salt (WK), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer (C), Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy
Impact Player: Rinku Singh
Rajasthan Royals
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (C & WK), Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen
Impact Player: Keshav Maharaj
Key Batters to Watch for KKR vs RR:
Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer, who is making his comeback from a back injury, has been scratchy so far in this season. He has scored runs but at a very slow strike rate, which he needs to improve if he wants to make a comeback in the Indian T20 side.
Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh, who picked up a niggle in his last game, will most probably be used as an Impact Player by Kolkata. He will be an important player for them because of his strong base against fast bowling, where he will have to shield all of his partners from the hit-the-deck bowling of Avesh Khan and Kuldeep Sen.
Key Bowlers to watch for KKR vs RR:
Kuldeep Sen
Kuldeep Sen specializes in hit-the-deck fast bowling, and the phase he operates at is the middle phase where he’s often used as an enforcer. Kolkata’s middle order, except Rinku Singh, is vulnerable against the back-of-the-length pace, which makes him an important player for his side.
Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy has been an able deputy for the veteran Sunil Narine. His skills are worth having, which every side craves, as he chokes the flow of runs for the opposition with his control and tight lines.
