Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will host Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 31 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday, April 16. KKR have won four and lost one match in the ongoing IPL 2024 season. They are placed second on the points table with eight points. On the other hand, RR lead the points table with 10 points. Out of six matches, they have won five and lost one. With KKR breathing down RR’s neck to claim the top spot in standings, let’s delve into the predicted XIs ahead of this mouthwatering encounter.
KKR Predicted XI
Phil Salt (wicketkeeper)
Knight Riders opener Phil Salt has made a great start to his IPL 2024 campaign. With an explosive strike rate of over 150, the wicketkeeper-batter has scored 191 runs in five matches. Jacks will enter this contest on the back of an unbeaten 89-run knock that saw KKR home against LSG.
Sunil Narine
Sunil Narine will open the innings for KKR along with Phil Salt. The West Indies veteran has been on song with the bat and ball this season, scoring 167 runs and taking five wickets in five innings. His form will be crucial for KKR’s success against RR on Tuesday.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Angkrish Raghuvanshi has had a decent run with the bat this season. He has scored 85 runs so far, including a half-century and boasts an impressive strike rate of 166.66.
Shreyas Iyer (captain)
Shreyas Iyer has been one of the key members in KKR’s middle order this year. His presence adds stability to the batting lineup and provides crucial cameos when required. The Kolkata skipper has scored 129 runs in five matches.
Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer hasn’t quite fired on all cylinders with the bat in recent matches but he does have a fifty-plus score to his name. Capable of contributing with the ball as well, he boasts a strike rate of 144.44 and will be raring to convert his starts into a big score against RR.
Rinku Singh
Known for his explosive batting, Rinku Singh brings firepower to Kolkata’s lower middle order thanks to his power hitting. With a strike rate of 150, Rinku will be eager to have a positive impact as a finisher for KKR in the upcoming match.
Andre Russell
Andre Russell has been a shining light for KKR this season. His all-round prowess has seen him score 115 runs at a strike rate of 212.96 and an average of 57.50 in five matches. Dre Russ has also claimed six wickets and will be keen to put on a show against RR come Tuesday.
Ramandeep Singh
Ramandeep Singh brings additional support to the Knight Riders’ lower middle order. He hasn’t been among the runs this season but his strike rate of over 160 suggests that the RR bowlers should be wary of.
Mitchell Starc
KKR’s star signing for IPL 2024, Mitchell Starc will be entering this contest on the back of a three-wicket spell against LSG in the previous game. The Australian pacer has claimed five scalps in IPL 2024 and will pose a threat to RR’s batting unit.
Harshit Rana
Harshit Rana has been a livewire in the Knight Riders’ fast bowling unit. He has taken five wickets in four matches and the 22-year-old speedster will aim to provide KKR with crucial wickets in the powerplay as well as death overs.
Vaibhav Arora
With six wickets in three matches, Vaibhav Arora is one of the leading wicket-takers for KKR this season. His swing variations have helped claim important wickets while also containing opposition batters and Arora will look to star with the ball against a star-studded RR side.
Impact Sub
Varun Chakaravarthy
RR Predicted XI
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Rajasthan’s left-handed batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is likely to open the innings against Kolkata. The explosive batter hasn’t been among the runs in IPL 2024 having scored 102 runs in six matches and Jaiswal will be eyeing a big knock against KKR to get some crucial runs under his belt.
Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler will open along with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the upcoming game against KKR. The English wicket-keeper batter has scored 143 runs in five matches, including an unbeaten century and he will be looking to make a strong comeback after missing his team’s previous match.
Sanju Samson (captain and wicketkeeper)
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has been in sensational form this season. With a remarkable average of 66 and a strike rate of 155.29, the hard-hitting Indian batter has already amassed 264 runs in six matches.
Riyan Parag
RR’s top run-scorer this season, Riyan Parag has smashed 284 runs in six matches. The hard-hitter boasts an impressive batting average of 71 as well as a strike rate of 155.19 in IPL 2024 and Parag will aim to continue his solid performances against KKR.
Shimron Hetmyer
Shimorn Hetmyer has played important cameos for RR this season, including a match-winning 10-ball 27* against PBKS in their last fixture. With a strike rate of 200, Hetmyer will be eager to build on his last knock when he plays against KKR.
Rovman Powell
West Indies’ T20I skipper Rovman Powell brings more fire power to RR’s batting lineup. Powell has batted only once for the Royals in IPL 2024 but is capable of producing some big knocks and can also chip in with the odd wicket every now and then.
Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Jurel is another quality player in the Royals’ batting middle order. He hasn’t batted much for the inaugural IPL champions this year but Jurel can add crucial runs lower down the order, making him an important player for the Royals.
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin’s all-round skills make him an asset to any team. With more than 170 IPL scalps over the years, Ashwin continues to pose a threat to opposition batters and can contribute with bat when needed.
Trent Boult
Kiwi pacer Trent Boult will open proceedings with the ball for RR against KKR. His knack of striking early in the powerplay makes him a valuable asset to any team and he will be targeting to add to his six wickets in six matches in IPL 2024 against KKR.
Avesh Khan
Avesh Khan has been an important bowler for Rajasthan Royals this season. He has delivered for his side this season having taken five wickets in six matches while bowling in pressure situations.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal will lead the spin department for Rajasthan Royals. With 11 wickets in six games, Chahal is the current Purple Cap holder and the Indian spinner will be looking to make the most of the spin-friendly pitches in Kolkata against KKR.
Impact Sub
Kuldeep Sen
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