14 hours ago
6
Riding high on their new-found confidence, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders will look to finally get it right at home and keep their playoff hopes alive when they take on a struggling Rajasthan Royals in their IPL match in Kolkata on Sunday. With four league matches remaining, KKR's equation is straightforward -- win all four and reach 17 points, a total that should secure a spot in the top-four without relying on the other results. The challenge, though simple on paper, is steep in reality.
The final leg of their campaign includes two home matches -- against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday and Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday -- followed by two away fixtures, against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 10 and an in-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru (May 17).
While SRH have lost steam, RCB are charging up the table, making that final clash in Bengaluru potentially a high-stakes encounter.
But that's still far away.
For now, the Knights must stay focused on what's immediately in front -- the two back-to-back games at Eden Gardens, starting with the Royals.
Interestingly, both RR and CSK are among the most inconsistent sides this season and were the first to be eliminated.
CSK became the first team to crash out of the playoff race, and RR followed soon after, officially eliminated following their 100-run loss to Mumbai Indians in Jaipur on Thursday.
That, however, makes them dangerous opponents. With nothing to lose, both CSK and RR can spoil KKR's party.
But KKR's bigger worry is their poor run at home.
Eden Gardens, which once used to be their fortress, has yielded just one win from five matches this season -- the latest a rain-affected washout against Punjab Kings.
Their spinners have struggled to adjust to the grip and variable bounce, something the rival teams have exploited far more effectively.
Batting, too, has been underwhelming which has been a far cry from the explosive unit that powered them to the title in 2024.
Rinku Singh, the finisher who grabbed headlines last season, has struggled to make an impact with just 169 runs from eight innings.
Quinton de Kock, roped in to fill Phil Salt's gap at the top, has lacked consistency with 143 runs from seven innings at a strike rate of 137.50.
But the biggest letdown has been their costliest buy of the season, Venkatesh Iyer, who has been re-signed for Rs 23.75 crore and made vice-captain.
The pressure seems to have taken a toll.
Venkatesh has managed only 142 runs in 10 games and has scored just 28 runs across his last three innings -- a sharp decline from his 370-run tally in 2024 at a strike rate of over 158.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane, who has been KKR's most reliable batter this season, is nursing a hand injury he sustained while fielding.
"I'm fine. I'm trying my best and hopefully I'll play the match on Sunday," he said.
The one big positive for KKR was their morale-boosting 14-run win over Delhi Capitals that ended a three-match winless run.
Sunil Narine was the architect of the win -- a 16-ball 27 with the bat, a match-winning 3/29 with the ball and a brilliant direct-hit run-out that sent KL Rahul packing.
The Trinidadian's all-round brilliance provided the spark KKR badly needed, and his experience will again be the key as they look to reignite their campaign.
For Rajasthan Royals, the tournament has slipped out of control.
With just one win in their last seven games, the flaws in their auction strategy have been laid bare.
A lack of depth in batting and bowling, combined with injuries, has led to their early exit.
The 14-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi's stunning 35-ball century was a rare moment of magic, but the Royals cannot rely on such individual brilliance every time.
The absence of Jos Buttler, who moved to Gujarat Titans, and captain Sanju Samson, who has missed most of the season due to injury, has left their batting looking thin.
Yashasvi Jaiswal has carried the top order, but the middle-order trio of Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel and Nitish Rana has underperformed.
Jurel has one fifty from 10 innings and 249 runs to show, while Hetmyer has scored 187 runs at an average of 20.77.
Rana, who returns to face his former team, has failed to find rhythm and will be under scrutiny against the side he captained with distinction in 2023.
The bowling hasn't fared any better.
Without Yuzvendra Chahal -- now doing wonders for Punjab Kings, including picking up a second hat-trick -- they may lack the penetration, especially on slower tracks like Eden.
Wanindu Hasaranga missed the last game with a niggle and it remains to be seen if he's back.
Jofra Archer has taken 10 wickets in 11 games but at an expensive average of 40.10. Maheesh Theekshana, too, has failed to deliver.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Topics mentioned in this article
