IPL 2024 KKR vs RR Preview - The powerplay's irresistible force meets its immovable object

Key match stats

Pitch Stats – IPL records at Eden Gardens

Stats from the 10 most recent IPL matches played at Eden Gardens

Team form KKR vs RR

Recent meetings: IPL 2023 - RR won by 9 wickets

Weather

General forecast: Dry and Clear

Potential for dew: Moderate

Preview KKR vs RR

If you picked this fixture as being a top of the table clash prior to the season beginning then hats off to you because I certainly didn't!

There were enough gaps in both these teams squads for me to believe that they'd be mid-table sides who might sneak a playoff spot if a couple of their big name players fired. I certainly didn't think that between them they'd have won 9 out of 11 games this season.

Still, things can and indeed regularly do change pretty quickly in the IPL so neither of these franchises will be counting their chickens before they hatch.

Rajasthan have had several false dawns in recent seasons and to be honest their last 2 performances have been far from convincing. They lost against GT and nearly dug themselves into a bit of hole against PBKS during what should have been a relatively straight forward run chase.

The rot actually started to set in at the end of the Punjab innings with some calamitous fielding involving bowler Avesh Khan and keeper Sanju Samson running into each in an attempt to take a catch (one of multiple poor examples of fielding in the match). That error allowed PBKS to score at least 15 runs more than they should have before RR limped past 147 with a ball to spare.

There's not been much limping with this KKR line-up so far this season and they dispatched a fairly timid LSG in the match that took place here at Eden Gardens on Sunday.

As the graphic above shows, LSG's 1st innings score of 161 was never likely to be enough with Phil Salt's 89 off 47 showing the way that batsmen need to go at a ground where boundary scoring is fairly easy.

That match also saw a brilliant spell of bowling from Sunil Narine whose 4 overs for 17 really limited the LSG batsmen from getting any kind of momentum in their innings. With both these sides fielding high quality and very experienced slow bowlers, the battle through the middle overs could be key.

Also of importance will be the powerplay. SRH's effort against RCB has just taken them level with KKR at an average powerplay score of 66 so far in IPL 2024.

Powerplay run-rate in IPL 2024 as of matches played 14 April

By contrast, Rajasthan Royals have the worst powerplay batting stats of the tournament so far but have been brilliant with the ball!

Their economy rate of 8 in the powerplay is better than anyone else in the tournament and they've taken 10 wickets during that period, equal best with SRH and GT.

Rajasthan will look to the way CSK bowled against this KKR line-up and against MI at the Wankhede as a prime example of how to limit big hitting teams even where conditions are in the batsmen's favour. I don't think that the Royals have got their tactics spot on in their last couple of matches and if they fail to do so again in this game they could get punished!

KKR vs RR head to head

RR bowling vs KKR batting

As for individual performances in the powerplay this season, Trent Boult continues to lead the way. He has the most wickets (5) and the 3rd best economy (6.1) of any player to bowl 4 or more overs while the field restrictions are in place. Let's see what those economy rates are like after Salt and Narine have played against him!

Boult IPL record at Eden Gardens

Boult also enjoys a pretty decent record here at Eden Gardens which is more than can be said for Rajasthan's other pace options. Avesh Khan averages 86 with the ball in T20s here with an economy of just under 11. While Sandeep Sharma has also found wickets hard to come by on this surface striking twice in the previous 19 overs he's bowled at Eden Gardens.

Narine head to head vs Ashwin

KKR also look like they have the match-ups to hurt the Royals' spinners in this match. Ravi Ashwin missed the game against PBKS with what has been described as a niggle and with the form that Sunil Narine is in this season he might fancy giving this match a miss too!

Russell T20 head to head vs Chahal

Chahal has become an important part of the Royal's death over bowling in recent seasons but might be better used before Andre Russell comes to the crease if previous meetings are anything to go on.

KKR bowling vs RR batting

Rajasthan were also without Jos Buttler for their last game as a result of another non-descript injury. The fact that the England white ball captain had travelled with the squad and was at the ground suggests it's nothing too serious and they'll need his presence at the top of the order against significantly stronger opposition.

Jaiswal IPL record at Eden Gardens

The Royals made mince meat of the KKR bowling attack in this fixture last year with Jaiswal ending 98 not out off 47 balls as RR won by 9 wickets with an incredible 41 balls to spare! How dearly would the young left-hander enjoy any kind of return to form at this venue again.

Current Rajasthan Squad T20 head to head vs Narine

On the evidence of previous encounters, you'd back Sunil Narine to be very effective at limiting the scoring in this match once again. Only 1 of the Royals batsmen who has faced more than 10 deliveries from Narine in T20 cricket has a strike rate over 100 (Buttler strikes at 115 from 75 balls faced). The West Indian legend also enjoys bamboozling his former international colleagues Powell (dismissed 5 times in T20s by Narine) and Hetmyer (strike rate of 85).

Hetmyer T20 head to head vs Russell

It looks then like we can expect to see Rajasthan forced into taking risks at the other end while Narine is bowling so watch out for some opportunities to leverage those contrasts within the total runs per over betting markets!

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All stats used in this blog are from my own databases which are freely accessible below
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