IPL 2019: Match 21, RR v KKR – KKR opt to bowl first in Jaipur

KKR is coming off a scintillating win over RCB, while RR defeated the same team in their last match.

The 21^st match of the IPL 2019 will see Rajasthan Royals host the red-hot Kolkata Knight Riders at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Both the team have won their last matches, incidentally against RCB. However, the form of the two teams is vastly different.

Rajasthan Royals are facing a team that is in top form with a rampaging Andre Russell to boot for. For Royals, however, their Indian fast bowlers have not come to the party yet. First Jaydev Unadkat, their most expensive buy performed poorly and was benched, while Varun Aaron, who replaced him, went for 16 runs in the only over he bowled.

K Gowtham is yet to fire as a spinner, while KKR has good enough middle order to counter a good-looking S Gopal. 

For KKR, Russell’s haul of 207 runs off 77 deliveries this season, makes them an intimidating opposition. Their batting has done its job this season, but the bowling is yet to deliver. The KKR fast bowlers’ economy of 10.00 is the highest among all teams this season and their average of 1.75 wickets per game the lowest. Harry Gurney plays today in place of Lockie Ferguson, who has bowled with pace but been quite expensive.

Toss: Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Playing XIs:

RR: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Jos Buttler (w), Steven Smith, Rahul Tripathi, Ben Stokes, Prashant Chopra, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Dhawal Kulkarni, Sudhesan Midhun.

KKR: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (w/c), Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Harry Gurney, Prasidh Krishna.