With 250-plus totals becoming a norm and power-hitters pushing the limit, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) will hope to out-bat each other in the Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens here on Monday.
In four of the five matches at the Eden, both teams have crossed 200 and the last encounter – which witnessed Punjab Kings gather 2.33 runs per ball to post a record chase of 262 for two with eight balls to spare – underlined that no total is safe in the new-age slam-bang version of the game.
“I look at the positive side. The team is playing really well. The result may have gone the other way. To put up 260 (while chasing) also needs equal effort. The team is having a lot of confidence,” KKR’s head coach Chandrakant Pandit said.
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KKR, which has thrived primarily due to the success of its batters, will continue to depend on its crack-opening pair of Phil Salt and Sunil Narine to make an early assault while others, including captain Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh, will be keen to keep the middle-order steady.
KKR’s bowling needs attention. Narine has been impressive but will require support from other bowlers, such as Harshit Rana, Russell and Varun Chakravarthy. If Mitchell Starc, who has recovered well, returns, it will be beneficial.
“He is looking better now. He has recovered well. We will watch him in the nets and then take a call,” Pandit added.
Besides the destructive Jake Fraser-McGurk and skipper Rishabh Pant, DC has other capable hands, including Shai Hope, Tristan Stubbs and Axar Patel, who can go on run hunting.
Pacers Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Dar Salam and spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar can create problems for any opposition.
After consecutive wins over Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians, DC, with ‘Prince of Kolkata’ Sourav Ganguly in its camp, will be upbeat about avenging its loss.
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