Kolkata Knight Riders will want to bounce back from the drubbing they received at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore in Sharjah in IPL 2020. The Knight Riders’ batting line-up could not click as they fell 82 runs short of chasing down RCB’s 194. Hence, they need to regroup quickly to attain some consistency instead of gathering a string of losses with the end of league stage approaching.
One of the key issues facing the side is their batting order, which has gone through several changes. The Knight Riders will likely move Rahul Tripathi to the opening spot after the pair of Tom Banton and Shubman Gill could not show intent and failed miserably. Their bowling combination might also go through some changes for they would be facing a strong and deep Mumbai Indians’ batting line-up
We take a look at Kolkata Knight Riders’ predicted XI ahead of their IPL 2020 game against Mumbai Indians:
Shubman Gill:
Rahul Tripathi:
KKR will most likely promote Rahul Tripathi to the top as they would want his aggressive intent. Rahul Tripathi opened against the Chennai Super Kings and scored 81, a knock that was the difference between the two sides. However, he batted at number seven against RCB and managed only 16 runs off 22 balls.
Nitish Rana:
Eoin Morgan:
Dinesh Karthik (c&wk):
Andre Russell:
As the Knight Riders found themselves in a hole, Andre Russell was their only hope. When the all-rounder arrived at the crease, his side needed more than 100 in six overs and he got into business by smashing two fours and a six. Nevertheless, he edged one from Isuru Udana to short cover, bringing an end to Knight Riders’ hopes.
Pat Cummins:
Pat Cummins took the new ball against the RCB batsmen and went for 38 in his four overs without taking a wicket. With the bat, Pat Cummins could manage only a single, spooning a catch to Devdutt Padikkal off Chris Morris’ bowling. Cummins would also be keen to redeem himself from his last outing against Mumbai in which he conceded 49 runs in three overs.
Shivam Mavi:
Shivam Mavi could come in Kamlesh Nagarkoti for the game against Mumbai Indians as the latter went for 51 in four overs for a wicket. Hence, Shivam Mavi, who has been resting since two games, might replace his compatriot.
Lockie Ferguson:
New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson could be the one replacing Tom Banton in the side. Lockie Ferguson not only bowls fast but will question the batsmen with his uncomfortable bounce. Moreover, KKR need pace to counter Mumbai Indians’ strong batting line-up. Nevertheless, Ferguson has only five wickets from five games in IPL.
Varun Chakravarthy:
Varun Chakravarthy was the most economical bowler for the Knight Riders against RCB. In four overs, the leggie gave away only 25 runs, albeit without any wickets. However, his hard work got undone by the duo of AB De Villiers and Virat Kohli.
Prasidh Krishna:
Prasidh Krishna, who played in the last two games for Shivam Mavi, has taken four wickets in two games so far. Against the RCB, Prasidh Krishna delivered a brilliant yorker to dismiss Aaron Finch at a crucial time; however, conceded 42 runs. Nevertheless, the seamer should retain his spot.
Also Read: Top 5 Bowlers Who Have Clocked 150 KMPH+ Most Times In IPL 2020
