Kolkata Knight Riders are set to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in a high-stakes clash on Thursday at Eden Gardens. The showdown is set to be a gripping affair with both sides entering the clash on the back of opening-game defeats. There is an urgency for both teams to secure early points in the season, having stumbled in their previous games. 

Kolkata’s campaign has begun with some imbalance. Their batting lineup is highly explosive, capable of knocking the opposition down, but their bowling attack looks quite vulnerable. In their last match against Mumbai Indians, their trusted match-winners, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, were below their usual standards in the opening match. For KKR to reassert their dominance at home, the spin duo will need to rediscover their rhythm. Talking about their batting, captain Ajinkya Rahane looked composed and in control, while young Angkrish Raghuvanshi continued his impressive rise with a breathtaking performance. Opener Finn Allen provided early momentum with an aggressive start, and Rinku Singh once again proved his value as a dependable finisher.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, meanwhile, are dealing with issues of their own. Regular captain Pat Cummins is still working his way back to full fitness, with young talent Ishan Kishan handling the captaincy duties. Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, has embraced the role with confidence, building on a strong run of form over recent months and beginning the new season on a big note. Despite their loss in the opener against RCB, Hyderabad’s batting philosophy remains bold and uncompromising.

The opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma continues to be one of the most destructive combinations in the league. They have that ability to take the game away from opposition. Their middle-order adds further depth, with Heinrich Klaasen and Aniket Verma featuring in the group. 

Head-to-head

Matches - 30

KKR won - 20

SRH won - 10

KKR probable XII: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Blessing Muzarabani, Kartik Tyagi

SRH Probable XII: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (c & wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, David Payne/Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga