Squads –
KKR –
Dinesh Karthik (c), Andre Russell, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Nitish Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Rinku Singh, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Mavi, Shubman Gill, Siddhesh Lad, Sunil Narine, Chris Green, Eoin Morgan, M Siddharth, Nikhil Naik, Pat Cummins, Rahul Tripathi, Tom Banton, Varun Chakravarthy
MI –
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah, Quinton de Kock (wk), Kieron Pollard, Sherfane Rutherford, Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Chris Lynn, Saurabh Tiwary, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mitchell McClenaghan, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Mohsin Khan, Prince Balwant Rai Singh, Digvijay Deshmukh, Hardik Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Anukul Roy, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ishan Kishan, Aditya Tare, James Pattinson
Team News –
KKR –
– The Knight Riders of Kolkata have been a decent team through the IPL . They were 2 times champions under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir.
– They have added a decent squad with good combination of experience and young talent. Eoin Morgan, Tom Banton and Pat Cummins are Their overseas buys this year with Pat Cummins the costliest with 15.5cr.
– Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Pat Cummins will be their likely 4 foreign players.
– Shubhman Gill and Sunil Narine will open the Innings for KKR. Narine provides the best attacking start a team needs while Gill can build a long innings.
– Nitish Rana will bat at 1 down. Rana is a very attacking Batsman and was very consistent scoring 350+ runs last season. He can also bowl.
– English t20 captain Eoin Morgan will bat 2 down. He is one of the best hitters in world cricket and is also a great captain. His performance will be the key for KKR this season.
– Andre Russell and Dinesh will bat in middle and be involved in finishing the game. Russell can be promoted any day.
– Sunil Narine amd Kuldeep Yadav will lead the spin attack. Left arm spinner M Siddhart can get a game .
– Pat Cummins, P Krishna, Shivam Mavi and Andre Russell will be likely leading the pace attack.
MI –
– MI had a bad start to Their IPL 2020 campaign as they lost against their Arch Rivals Chennai Super Kings.
– Coulter Nile will likely replace James Pattinson if he will be 100% fit.
– Quinton de Kock, Kieron Pollard, Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile/James Pattinson will be their likely 4 foreign players.
– Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock will open the innings. Both will attack from the ball 1 especially De Kock which will give time for Rohit to set himself and go for a big one. De Kock scored 33 and Rohit 12 last game.
– Suryakumar Yadav will bat 1 down. He had an excellent domestic season scoring tons of runs while also scored 400+ runs in last IPL. He was out cheaply at 16 last game.
– Saurabh Tiwary will bat 2 down. Tiwary made a comeback last game after a long time and looked in brilliant touch with his 42 of 31 balls.
– Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard will bat next followed by Krunal Pandya. All three are forming the most dependable middle and lower middle order in the IPL whith both Pandya and Pollard playing the finishers role.
– Rahul Chahar the young leggie will lead the spin attack along with left arm spinner Krunal Pandya. Both shared a Wicket each last game.
– Jasprit Bumrah , Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile/James Pattinson will lead the pace attack. Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard (1-2 overs) will assist them. Both if them didn’t bowled last game.
Probable XI –
KKR –
Shubhman Gill, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sivan Mavi, M Siddharth/V Chakravarthy
MI –
Rohit Sharma (C), Quinton de Kock(wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Saurabh Tiwary, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile/James Pattinson, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah.
Pitch Report –
Sheikh Zayed Stadium , Abu Dhabi
Pitches at Abi Dhabi are generally at the slower side giving assistance to spin more than pace.
Average Score : 140.
Team Blueprint –
WK –
Quinton de Kock( Opener + wk, a must have combo, very attacking batsman, 3rd highest scorer last season, 33(20b) last game, Must have )
Dinesh Karthik ( 3 down, had a decent IPL 2019 with 242 runs at a SR of 143, he will play the role of finisher)
I Kishan( 1 down, very attacking batsman, had a very poor IPL where he scored 101 in 7 games as well as poor Syed Mushtaq trophy where he was able to score just 48 in 6 games, didn’t played last game)
BAT –
R Sharma( Opener, no introduction needed, 4800+ IPL runs , 12 runs last game, Must have )
Chris Lynn( Opener, very poor CPL 2019, Just 138 runs in 9 games, will not play as team already has filled overseas slots )
Eoin Morgan ( 2 down, English team t20 captain, 6000+ t20 runs in 271 games , 66(45) against pak recently, very experienced, Must have )
Shubhman Gill( Opener, very talented, can play big innings, 294 runs in 13 innings last IPL, however SR is poor of 122)
Suryakumar( 1-2 down, 404 runs at a SR of 135 in IPL, 392 Runs in Syed Mushtaq trophy 2020 in 10 games, Must have, don’t drop him )
Saurabh Tiwary( 2 down, made a comeback after almost 3 years, 42(31) last game, good at 8cr )
Tom Banton ( Opener, strikes the ball at 154 in t20s, very good form , 71,20,46 in 3 t20s against Pak, must have if plays)
ALL –
Andre Russell ( 3-4 down + 3-4 overs of pace, one of the hest hitters in t20 cricket, 510 runs at SR of 202 in IPL 2020 also 11 Wickets with bowl )
Sunil Narine ( Open + off spin, mystery spinner, very experienced, 385 T20 Wickets with 10 in last IPL, Must have )
H Pandya( 3 down, 402 runs + 14 wickets at a SR of 191 in IPL 2019, didn’t bowled last game, Must have )
K Pollard( 3-4 down + 1-2 overs of pace, Man of tournament in CPL recently, 207 runs + 8 Wickets in CPL 2020 )
Nitish Rana ( 1 down, very excellent domestic season along with 350 runs with SR of 143 last IPL, Must have , he may also bowl )
Krunal Pandya( 4-5 down + 4 overs of spin, left arm spin, bowls tight line and length, good option to have this game)
BOWL –
Jasprit Bumrah( Right Arm Fast, no introduction needed, was very expensive last game, still Must have )
Pat Cummins ( Pacer, world class bowler, 97 t20 wickets on his name, bowls at 145+ ks , 4 Wickets against SA last series)
Kuldeep Yadav ( Chinnaman, mystery bowler and a must have choice from KKR , 115 t20 Wickets in 90 innings, Must have )
Rahul Chahar( Leggie, Must have in this conditions, just 1w last game but a good bowler, less selection today)
Trent Boult( Left arm fast, world class bowler, will bowl in death, played just 5 games took 5 Wickets last IPL, 1w last game)
P Krishna ( Pacer, raw pace, bowls upto 145ks, poor last IPL with just 4 Wickets in 11 games, good at 8cr , will bowl in death )
K Nagarkoti ( Pacer, bowls with an average pace of 144, 11 Wickets in 9 list A games, should be a punt pick if plays)
S Mavi( Pacer, 5 Wickets in IPL, eco in very high close to 10)
M Siddharth( Slow left arm, 5 Wickets in tnpl 2019, can also bowl in powerplay)
C/VC Options –
KKR –
Andre Russell
Sunil Narine
Eoin Morgan
MI –
Rohit Sharma
Hardik Pandya
Quinton de Kock