KKR's cracks widen as Royals look to bounce back

The Knight Riders can't seem to catch a break. Six games in, no wins yet and now they face an energetic Rajasthan Royals less than 48 hours after their latest defeat. KKR's campaign has gone wrong on many fronts. The worries began well before the season did, with spearhead pacers Harshit Rana and Akash Deep being ruled out with injury. The delay and uncertainty around Matheesha Pathirana's arrival only deepened the crisis. With Cameron Green only contributing occasionally with the ball, KKR have been left with an inexperienced pace attack, one that noticeably lacks both might and bite. It comes as no surprise then that they've statistically been one of the worst pace bowling teams this season.

"The guys who are bowling in the Powerplay are inexperienced. That's the truth. That's the honest truth," Ajinkya Rahane assessed bluntly following their loss to GT. What happens when this inexperienced attack comes up against the most destructive opening pair in the tournament? KKR don't have much time for planning.

It's not like KKR's worries are limited to their bowling either. Finn Allen failed to turn promise into performance and now finds himself on the bench, Rinku Singh is woefully out of touch while Ajinkya Rahane seems to be wilting under the pressure. KKR are also amongst the worst Powerplay batting sides, having lost 12 wickets in the phase in six matches while scoring at just over nine runs per over. Adding another layer to the challenge will be the fact that the Rajasthan Royals have been the best Powerplay bowling side.

The Royals will arrive hungry after being derailed by the Sunrisers in their previous game. The 57-run loss, coming after four dominant wins, felt like an anomaly, and setting that straight will be high on their agenda.

When: KKR vs RR, April 19 at 3:30 PM IST
Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

What to expect: After a few spells of rain early in the season, Kolkata is expected to be back to its hot and humid summer self with temperatures peaking at 36 degrees. The venue has favoured spinners and with the surface baking under the hot sun, there might be something for the slower bowlers to work with.

Head to Head: KKR lead 16-14 overall and 7-4 in matches at the Eden Gardens.

Team News & Tactics:

• KKR: Cameron Green did not bowl during their previous fixture against GT. While skipper Ajinkya Rahane clarified it was due to cramps, his bowling availability is to be seen. Matheesha Pathirana is yet to join the squad.
• KKR Tactics: Varun Chakaravarthy has a favourable record against RR, having picked up 13 wickets in 10 games at an average of 18. KKR will lean on their spin wizard.
• RR: No injuries to report.
• RR Tactics: RR spinners have picked 14 wickets at an average of 15.85 this season. Their battle against a KKR batting line-up that has struggled against spin could be defining.

Probable XIIs:

• KKR: Tim Seifert, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (w), Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi.
• RR: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (w), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande.

Key Stats:

• RR have dropped just two catches this season – fewest by any team. Their catching efficiency stands at 93.7% followed by KKR's 88.8%.
• KKR have the worst Powerplay bowling average and economy rate this season.
• At 31.8%, Ajinkya Rahane has the lowest win percentage for an IPL captain who has captained in at least 25 matches.