With a secured spot in the playoffs, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are riding high. Currently leading the table, they aim for a top-two finish in Ahmedabad.
Overview
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) swiftly secured a spot in the playoffs by defeating Mumbai Indians on Saturday night. Despite leading the table, their top-two finish isn’t certain yet. KKR’s aim, after finishing seventh in the past two IPL seasons, is to secure that spot as they head to Ahmedabad.
The main reason behind KKR’s success this season lies in their batting line-up. Each of their top four batsmen has scored over 300 runs at a rate of more than 10 runs per over, a first in the IPL. Openers Sunil Narine and Phil Salt have been instrumental, forming six partnerships of 50 or more runs in 12 innings, averaging 46.58 with a strike rate of 12.46. However, Salt’s departure will halt this partnership soon. But it’s not just the top-order; KKR boasts four batsmen – Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Salt, and Narine – who have scored over 100 runs at a strike rate of over 180 in IPL 2024, a feat matched only by Sunrisers Hyderabad this season.
When it comes to bowling, KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Narine, and Russell have all taken 15 or more wickets with averages under 21, another first in the IPL.
How can GT counter KKR’s batting lineup? Rashid Khan might hold the key.
Rashid has a decent record against most KKR batsmen. He has dismissed Narine twice in 25 balls in all T20s. Although Salt hasn’t faced Rashid in the IPL, he fell to him on the first ball in the Hundred. The Iyers have had some success against Rashid, with Shreyas being dismissed twice in ten IPL innings but striking at only 107.79 against him. Venkatesh has fallen to Rashid only once in three innings. Russell has been dismissed by Rashid three times in 24 balls in the IPL and averages just 8.0 against him.
But Rahmanullah Gurbaz could provide a solution.
With Salt likely to miss the playoffs to prepare for the T20 World Cup, KKR might consider bringing in Gurbaz as the keeper-batsman and giving him some games before the playoffs. Gurbaz has an impressive record against Rashid, scoring 30 runs off 11 balls in the IPL without being dismissed.
GT currently sits at eighth on the points table, and while their playoff hopes aren’t completely dashed, the road ahead looks challenging.
Team Updates and Key Players Strategy
Gujarat Titans : GT’s squad has seen quite a bit of rotation, trying out 23 players so far, the most among all teams. However, with a convincing win in their last match, they may have found the right combination. The opening partnership of B Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill clicked beautifully, and they might stick with it, even if Wriddhiman Saha is ready to play. Depending on the pitch conditions, either R Sai Kishore or Sandeep Warrier might be brought in as a key substitution for Sai Sudharsan.
Expected Playing XII:
- Shubman Gill (capt)
- B Sai Sudharsan
- M Shahrukh Khan
- David Miller
- Matthew Wade (wk)
- Rahul Tewatia
- Rashid Khan
- Noor Ahmad
- Umesh Yadav
- Mohit Sharma
- Kartik Tyagi
- Sandeep Warrier/R Sai Kishore
Kolkata Knight Riders : In their previous match, KKR replaced Nitish Rana with Vaibhav Arora and might follow the same strategy. Additionally, Rahmanullah Gurbaz might step in for Phil Salt, unless they decide to save that change for later.
Expected Playing XII:
- Phil Salt/Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
- Sunil Narine
- Nitish Rana
- Shreyas Iyer (capt)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Andre Russell
- Rinku Singh
- Ramandeep Singh
- Mitchell Starc
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Harshit Rana
- Vaibhav Arora
Recent Track Record
Gujarat Titans [GT] :[ W , L , L , L , W]
Kolkata Knight Riders [KKR] :[ W , W , W , W , L]
In the limelight
B Sai Sudharsan has emerged as the standout performer in GT’s sometimes shaky top order. Leading the run charts for GT with 527 runs in 12 innings, he aims to carry forward his success at the Ahmedabad stadium. He boasts three half-centuries and a century in 12 IPL outings at the venue, with an impressive average of over 50.
Varun Chakravarthy’s IPL journey has been a tale of two halves. In the initial eight matches, he managed only eight wickets, averaging 35.25 with an economy rate of 9.72. However, in the subsequent four games, he has grabbed ten wickets at an impressive average of 8.50 and an economy rate of 5.66. This surge in form has propelled him to the third position in the list of leading wicket-takers, just two wickets behind Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel, both with 20 wickets. With Bumrah and Harshal’s teams, Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings, respectively, out of the tournament, Varun stands a chance to clinch the coveted purple cap.
Pitch Conditions and Statistics
Out of six games played in Ahmedabad this season, the team batting second has emerged victorious in four matches. The presence of dew has significantly influenced the matches, often prompting captains to choose to chase. However, GT’s recent win came batting first and posting a substantial score. The average first-innings total this season in Ahmedabad stands at 175.
Important Stats:
- Shubman Gill has struggled against Narine, falling twice to him in just 13 balls in T20s, with an average of just 6.5. However, David Miller has had better success, scoring 95 runs off 72 balls against Narine with just one dismissal.
- Nitish Rana holds an impressive average of 95.0 against Rashid in the IPL, having scored 95 runs off 76 balls and being dismissed only once.
- GT has hit the fewest number of sixes in the tournament so far, tallying 67, while KKR has nearly doubled that with 125 sixes.
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