Following an unexpected 10-day break prompted by heightening tensions at the India-Pakistan border, the Indian Premier League is set to thunder back into life this Saturday.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in a crucial encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Everyone's eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who just stepped away from Test cricket, making this a showpiece encounter.
Given the break has an impact on all teams uniquely, RCB and KKR approach the match with different agendas. Bengaluru is well-placed at number two on 16 points from 11 games. A victory here might seal their qualification to the playoffs. Kolkata, defending champions, on the other hand, are on sixth place with 11 points from 12 games. A loss might shatter their slender hopes of going further in the tournament.
Both sides need to overcome the hurdle of recapturing their rhythm and ferocity after a sudden break in momentum. RCB, however, seem better placed for an immediate return to form, benefitting from the momentum of a four-match winning streak. KKR, on the other hand, had pulled off two wins in their previous three games before the break.
RCB supporters were given relief by the vision of captain Rajat Patidar being confidently practiced in the nets. Patidar, having suffered a finger injury in a recent encounter against Chennai Super Kings, had been out with a splint. His return is expected to give morale a big fillip.
Bengaluru will also be strengthened by the return of their foreign stars, who had briefly returned after the military standoff. Players such as Phil Salt, Lungi Ngidi, Tim David, Liam Livingstone, and Romario Shepherd are all back in the pool of players for selection again.
But there remain injury issues for the hosts. Devdutt Padikkal is out, and pace man Josh Hazlewood is recovering from a shoulder issue, with no clear indication of his availability. Mayank Agarwal, who was called in as replacement for Padikkal, will be under the gun to deliver in a high-stakes match.
The Kohli Factor
The largest draw on Saturday, no doubt, will be Virat Kohli. Having just announced his retirement from Test cricket, Kohli can expect a hero's reception. The fans are going to wear white jerseys as a tribute to his gargantuan red-ball career.
However, Kohli has always been a player who does not go on the cards of crowd gestures to get motivated. The 36-year-old would want his bat to do the talking here, perhaps making this a statement performance after his Test career was cut short under unexpected circumstances.
For Kohli, the under-pressure Knight Riders might be perfect rivals to tap into any residual emotions and make a strong statement.
KKR's Struggles Continue
The Knight Riders have suffered from inconsistency, especially in their batting unit. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane and talented youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi have performed in patches, but others such as Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh have not been able to be consistent.
On the bowling front, KKR’s attack featuring Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, and Harshit Rana has shown resilience, although they’ve occasionally been expensive. Their task won’t be made easier by the absence of Moeen Ali, who is sidelined with a viral illness. His unavailability could be a critical miss, especially if the pitch retains the grip seen in earlier matches at the venue.
Pitch and Conditions
Historically referred to as a batting haven, the Chinnaswamy surface has tossed a curveball this season. Bowlers — seamers and spinners alike — have discovered unanticipated help in the form of bounce and grip. The lengthy break and the premature arrival of the monsoon can have changed the behavior of the pitch once more, and teams have had to adjust game plans in a hurry.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad:
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Mayank Agarwal, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh.
Kolkata Knight Riders Squad:
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Luvnith Sisodia, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Umran Malik, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson.
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