IPL 2018: Match 13 Preview, KKR vs DD, Gautam Gambhir returns to his E-den against erratic Knights

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), after an impressive start, have slumped with two defeats on the trot.

Published - 15 Apr 2018, 18:02 IST | Updated - 15 Apr 2018, 18:02 IST

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The eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has begun a week ago and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) already find themselves in tatters. A couple of defeats combined with a plethora of players succumbing to injuries doesn’t hold them in good stead ahead of their home clash against the Delhi Daredevils (DD) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Meanwhile, the Daredevils are brimming with confidence following their stupendous victory against the might of the Mumbai Indians (MI). Jason Roy’s inclusion has changed the look of the batting lineup and they, definitely, are in a positive frame of mind going into the match. Also, Gautam Gambhir, who have captained the Knights to a couple of championships, will return to his former IPL home-venue.

The Daredevils might encounter a completely different track in Kolkata from that of the Wankhede. The pitch is expected to assist the spinners and the Delhi batsmen definitely find run-scoring easy as that of their previous game. In the meantime, the Knights would be desperate to settle into a combination before to evade another embarrassment in front of a packed Eden crowd.

Team Combination

Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR might not experiment anymore with Narine in the middle order and send him to open with Chris Lynn. In that case, Robin Uthappa will shift to number three. Nitish Rana and Dinesh Karthik will be crucial in the middle. Shubman Gill might be promoted ahead of Andre Russell. Shivam Mavi and Mitchell Johnson add depth to their batting.

The Knights will most probably be banking on their spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla to wield their magic on the slow and low track at the Eden Gardens. Shivam Mavi made his debut against the Sunrisers Hyderabad and clocked decent pace and him along with Russell and Johnson will need to generate pressure on the explosive Daredevils lineup.

Predicted XI

Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Shivam Mavi, Mitchell Johnson, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav

Delhi Daredevils

Gautam Gambhir and Jason Roy, the Player of the Match against Mumbai Indians, are the likely openers. Shreyas Iyer comes at number three ahead of Rishabh and Glenn Maxwell, bearing in mind the nature of the wicket. Meanwhile, Maxwell and Pant’s power-hitting prowess needs to come to the fore for Delhi. Vijay Shankar and Daniel Christian are no mugs with the willow either.

The bowling lineup pulled things back in the latter-half of Mumbai’s innings. Trent Boult and Mohammed Shami will spearhead the pacers contingent with the support of Aussie paceman Daniel Christian. Rahul Tewatia and Shahbaz Nadeem’s guile have to deliver as well. Glenn Maxwell’s part-time spin also might be required.

Predicted XI

Jason Roy, Gautam Gambhir (capt), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wkt), Glenn Maxwell, Vijay Shankar, Daniel Christian, Rahul Tewatia, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohammed Shami, Trent Boult

Players to watch out for

Robin Uthappa- Kolkata Knight Riders

Robin Uthappa hasn’t been in stupendous touch in this season’s IPL. He opened the batting against the Sunrisers, but perished cheaply to an outside edge of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The top and middle-order haven’t quite been at its best and Uthappa, as a senior player in the team, have to step up in order for the Knights to turn their fortunes around.

Gautam Gambhir- Delhi Daredevils

Gautam Gambhir struggled during the last game and never found the boundaries, which mounted the pressure on the remaining batsmen. At the venue of his former franchise, the Delhi-born cricketer will want to rise to the occasion and lead his team to their second victory of the season. However, it won’t be surprising if Gambhir conjures roars from the crowd at Eden Gardens when he takes charge.