IPL 2021, Match 3 preview: Kolkata Knight Riders aims for decent start against Sunrisers Hyderabad
The 2021 Indian Premier League is the 14th edition, being held in India after the 2020 edition was held in the United Arab Emirates. Kolkata Knight Riders is a two-time IPL champion, having won in 2012 and 2014, while Sunrisers Hyderabad won it once (2016).
FollowThe Indian Premier League 2021 is off to a thrilling start so far. In Match 3 of IPL 2021, former champion Kolkata Knight Riders clashes against fellow former champion Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram (Chepauk) Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.
KKR has not really been a major title contender in the past few years, despite having flawless talents in the side, primarily uncapped ones. For SRH, it finished third last season, while David Warner would be looking to make it even better this term, as it would eye to get off to a fiery start against KKR. On the same note, we present the match preview.
2020 form
SRH was in fine form last season, as it managed to finish third. However, the killer instinct lacked for the side, as Warner hopes for the side to possess the same this season. As for KKR, although it was off to a good start, it fluttered in the middle, thus failing to make it to the playoffs by finishing fifth.
Team composition and combination
Starting with SRH, it has more or less a balanced side, with the weight slightly in favour of its batting. However, considering its capped talent, it is heavy in the bowling, making it commonly a balanced side. With the game being held on slow Chennai tracks, a bowling-heavy side is likely to be fielded.
As for KKR, it is tide heavy on its bowling, as has been the case for the past two seasons. Meanwhile, its capped talent is equally distributed in all departments. Nonetheless, bowling would be its primary strength and would be watched out for since the Chennai track is likely to put its spinners in the limelight.
Injury concerns
While there are no fresh injury concerns, SRH would be without all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, as deadly English opener Jason Roy is the replacement. For KKR, uncapped Indian batsman Rinku Singh is out due to a knee injury, while Gurkeerat Singh comes in for him.
Head-to-head
To date, both have clashed on 19 occasions, with SRH winning seven and KKR winning 12. In India, they have met on 17 instances, with KKR leading 10-7. It would be their maiden clash in Chennai.
Weather and pitch report
The weather would once again be warm in Chennai, with temperature around 32 degrees and humidity around 66%. As for the track, the opening game displayed a sporty pitch but would somewhat remain on the slower side. Thus, the spinners would come into effect, while a total above 160 or 170 would be competitive.
Probable XI
SRH: David Warner (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Vijay Shankar, Priyam Garg, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan and Sandeep Sharma.
KKR: Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (c) Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna and Varun Chakravarthy.
Fantasy XI
Batsmen: Warner (vc), Morgan, Williamson, Roy, Tripathi- Warner and Roy are the right men to start as openers, owing to their explosive abilities. Meanwhile, Williamson can provide support at number three, while Morgan and Tripathi can consolidate in the middle. Warner's blistering attitude makes him the vice-captain.
Wicketkeepers: Bairstow- The Englishman has been in a great form of late and is a no-brainer here.
All-rounders: Narine, Russell- Narine is the mystery spinner who can open with the bat of needed and give the right start. Russell is a no-brainer with the bat and can change the game anytime, besides being the proper finisher.
Bowlers: Rashid (c), Nagarkoti, Chakravarthy- While Nagarkoti can surprise the batsmen with his pace, Rashid and Chakravarthy are sure to dominate with their spin, as was the case last season, with the former being the right choice as the skipper.
Match details
Date and day: April 11, 2021 (Sunday)
Venue: MA Chidambaram (Chepauk) stadium, Chennai
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (Also available in HD, along with regional languages)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar
