Match 8 Preview: KKR (63%) expected to win against Rajasthan Royals (37%)

By Amar Dani On April 08, 2013

Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals would be keen to extend their winning momentum when the two teams will face each other at Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Monday. Both the teams won their season opener, beating Delhi Daredevils Comprehensively.

Kolkata Knight Rider Skipper Gautam Gambhir and the mystery spinner Sunil Narine played a pivotal role in notching up the victory against Delhi. Narine p[icked up 4 wickets by conceding just 13 runs which restricted the Delhi team to a low total of 128. While Gautam Gambhir’s 41 off 29 ball set the platform for the other batsmen to take the home through. Both these players were phenomenal last year and helped Kolkata Knight Riders lift the trophy after the disappointment of the previous 4 edition of IPL.

Apart from these Kolkata Knight Riders looks quite balanced in all the depratments. Jacques Kallis, Manoj Tiwary, Eoin Morgan, Yusuf Pathan everyone has got the ability to change the complexion of the game and deprecate the Rajasthan bowling attack which looks flat.

Brett Lee will be the spearhead of their pace attack, adding variation to the attack will be Balaji, all- rounder Kallis and Ranji veteran Rajat Bhatia.

Rajasthan Royal Skipper Rahul Dravid is in good form and hit 65 of 51 ball against Delhi. Stuart Binny’s quickfire 40 off 20 ball also helped in posting a good score in their opening match. But Ajinkya Rahane and Kusal Perera failed to convert their score after they got a good start. But the home team will be in confidence with the return of Shane Watson who is likely to make the field on Monday.

In compare to Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan bowling attack misses the variations. Kevin Cooper who bowled brilliantly against Delhi would be the key. Sreesanth was economical but Samuel Badree and Siddharth Trivedi were all over the field.

Their main concern would be captain Rahul Dravid who pulled a calf muscle against Delhi and did not field in the Delhi run chase. So Rajasthan Royals would be hoping him to returns. Kolkata Knight Riders looked much more formidable in their last match and would like to keep the ball rolling when they meet Rajasthan Royal at their bastion but Royals can draw encouragement from the fact that they had beaten Kolkata Knight Riders by 22 runs in the last year edition at the same venue.