The match 56 of IPL 2023 between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens Stadium on Thursday, 11 May promises to be an exciting contest. Kolkata is on the sixth position in the points table, while Rajasthan is on the fifth position.
KKR, led by Nitish Rana, have won five and lost six matches so far, while RR, captained by Sanju Samson, have also won five and lost six matches in their campaign. In their last match, KKR secured a comfortable win against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Meanwhile, RR suffered a loss against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their last match.
Two highly skilled teams are set to collide in what promises to be an exciting match. With both the teams eager to secure their sixth win in the IPL 2023. Both teams have played ten matches in this season. Kolkata has won 14 games, while Rajasthan has won 12 games so far in the head to head encounters.
Also Read: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals: Who Will Win Today Match in IPL 2023?
Here are three player battles to watch out for during KKR vs RR match:
1) Sanju Samson vs Sunil Narine
When facing RR captain Sanju Samson, the Knight Riders may try a tactic similar to what they have done in the past. Samson has struggled against spinner Sunil Narine, who has dismissed him three times in 78 balls in the IPL. Samson has only scored 64 runs off Narine, including three fours and one six.
2) Andre Russell vs Yuzvendra Chahal
The Rajasthan Royals may use Yuzvendra Chahal against Andre Russell, who played a crucial role in his team’s victory over Punjab Kings with a 23-ball 42. Russell has a history of struggling against spinners, and Chahal has only dismissed him once in the IPL. However, Russell has scored at an impressive strike rate of 216.21 against the leg-spinner, with 80 runs off 37 balls.
3) Jos Buttler vs Varun Chakravarthy
KKR’s spinners, including Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Suyash Sharma, have been effective in IPL 2023. It remains to be seen if they will bring in mystery spinner Chakravarthy to face the dangerous Jos Buttler. Chakravarthy has dismissed Buttler twice in 13 balls, but the batsman’s strike rate against him is 215.38.