On Thursday, April 6, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) in front of their home crowd at Eden Gardens. RCB and KKR are in various positions, having played one game each in the opposition so far. In their previous match, Bangalore defeated the Mumbai Indians (MI) by eight wickets, while Kolkata lost to the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a rain-shortened match.
KKR are searching for ways of working on their crew, and they’ve chosen Jason Roy to supplant Shakib Al Hasan. However, the Englishman will not be available against RCB, and it is unlikely that the two-time champions will reshuffle their lineup too early in the tournament. RCB, on the other hand, appears to have lost Reece Topley to a shoulder injury at least temporarily.
They have back-ups on the bench who can replace the tall left-arm pacer, but they’ll be eagerly awaiting Wanindu Hasaranga and Josh Hazlewood’s availability. The new no holds barred record is genuinely even, with KKR having won three of their last five matches against RCB. However, the fact that the chasing team has won four of these matches is more telling. At Eden Gardens, the team that wins the toss will have a significant advantage.
In order to defeat self-assured Royal Challengers, struggling Knight Riders look for a boost at home.
As KKR trust that Roy will join the crew, they’re probably going to go on with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mandeep Singh at the highest point of the request. The pair will be facing an in-structure Mohammed Siraj yet could invite taking on the bowler at the opposite end.
The Knight Riders’ issues won’t disappear without any problem. Their middle order appears fragile, and their bowling attack has not yet come together. Their top order is not the most deadly. Tim Southee must also step up, as his lines and lengths against PBKS were off.
On the other hand, RCB does not face any of these issues. Regardless of whether they are without Hasaranga, Hazlewood and Topley, they are the better group on paper and ought to have the option to keep Kolkata honest.
At the top, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis are in top form, and Glenn Maxwell returned from injury with two sixes for good measure. Michael Bracewell is a match-winner on his day as well, and Dinesh Karthik would adore the dimensions and nature of Eden Gardens.
In general, Bangalore stands a good chance of winning the contest by two points. His team will have a real chance if Nitish Rana wins the toss, especially if Andre Russell shows up. In any case, however, RCB ought to have the option to remain unbeaten in IPL 2023.
Prediction: IPL 2023’s ninth match will go to RCB.