IPL 2019, RR vs CSK: Match 26 Predictions and Probable Playing 11 of Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals
Swashbuckling Andre Russell's big-hitting prowess will be pitted against Kagiso Rabada's inch-perfect yorkers for the second time when Kolkata Kight Riders face Delhi Capitals in a return-leg fixture of the IPL on Friday.
Away from the match, the spotlight will also fall on where former KKR and India captain Sourav Ganguly sits during the match. Ganguly will be a 'visitor' at his 'home' ground of Eden Gardens as he is currently donning the advisor's hat in the Delhi franchise, which has drawn 'conflict-of-interest' charges against him.
Second in the IPL table with eight points from six matches, KKR's season so far has been a Russell show with the Jamaican amassing 257 runs from five innings, out of which 150 have come in sixes alone.
His average has been 128.50 while the strike rate is a mind-boggling 212.39, something that has left the opposition clueless on how to stop him.
KKR's first defeat of this season came at the hands of Delhi Capitals in a dramatic Super Over finish at Kotla with Rabada winning the battle against Russell.
Tasked to defend 11 runs in the Super Over, Rabada was smashed for a four by Russell in the first ball, but returned strongly to uproot the middle stump with an inch-perfect yorker, something Ganguly has termed as the "ball of the tournament".
What to expect?
The top in Eden Gardens is expected to be green and help the pacers. There will be runs on offer once the batsmen are set. Light showers are expected towards the afternoon but it is unlikely to hamper the game too much.
Probable Playing XIs:
KKR: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (C & WK), Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Lockie Ferguson, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav
DC: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Colin Ingram, Chris Morris, Axar Patel, Rahul Tewatia, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Trent Boult/Sandeep Lamichanne
