Probable XI –
Kolkata Knight Riders –
Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan (c), Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy, Prasidh Krishna
Delhi Capitals –
Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Lalit Yadav/Steve Smith, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan
Small League Combination 1 –
1. Dinesh Karthik
2. Shikhar Dhawan
3. Shreyas Iyer
4. Prithvi Shaw(VC)
5. Shubham Gill
6. Andre Russell(C)
7. Sunil Narine
8. Axar Patel
9. Kagiso Rabada
10. Anrich Nortje
11. Varun Chakravarthy
– Andre Russell looks safest captain choice considering his middle order batting and full overs with the bowl.
– Taking punt on Shaw as VC since he might go big in this match considering his average of 65 in 5 H2H innings.
– Dropped Rishabh Pant who hasn’t done well nor at venue neither in H2H matches.
– Axar Patel, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy will be crucial picks again at this spin favoured surface.
– Dinesh Karthik might be a decent punt especially if top order of Kolkata doesn’t do well.
Small League Combination 2 –
1. Rishabh Pant
2. Shikhar Dhawan(VC)
3. Rahul Tripathi
4. Prithvi Shaw
5. Andre Russell(C)
6. Sunil Narine
7. Kagiso Rabada
8. Anrich Nortje
9. Ravichandran Ashwin
10. Lockie Ferguson
11. Varun Chakravarthy
– Going heavy on bowlers as they have dominated so far at this venue.
– Rishabh Pant might makeup for his poor numbers at venue and H2H matches by going big in this match especially while batting first.
– Dropped Shreyas Iyer who might not go big in three consecutive matches & also Russell has taken him five times under 60 balls.
– Ravichandran Ashwin might be a decent punt especially while bowling second.
– Expecting atleast a couple of wickets from Ferguson who’s getting to bowl in death overs.
Grand League Combination –
1. Dinesh Karthik
2. Steven Smith
3. Prithvi Shaw
4. Shubman Gill
5. Nitish Rana
6. Andre Russell
7. Sunil Narine(C)
8. Axar Patel
9. Ravichandran Ashwin
10. Lockie Ferguson
11. Varun Chakravarthy(VC)
– Going heavy on Kolkata who might go with all the guns blazing to win this important match.
– Steven Smith will be a good GL pick as he’s expected to be included in XIs of this match.
– Backing up Spinners to do well at this venue considering the assistance they have got during last couple of matches.
– Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy looks open C/VC choices in GL especially while bowling second.
– Axar Patel & Ashwin can score decent runs if top order doesn’t do well and bowl full overs at this spin favoured surface.
– Nitish Rana might be a good GL pick as he can get to bowl part time and score decent runs with the bat.