The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) meet Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and like last year’s final,  this match promises to be just as thrilling, with both teams chasing their second victory.  Neither side has been at their best in recent games. However, KKR holds a slight advantage  based on their previous wins. 

Last year, they dominated, winning all three games, including the qualifier and the final.  While there have been some changes in personnel since then, KKR’s performance against  Mumbai was disappointing. The result didn’t go their way, despite playing on a solid pitch.  Though conditions shifted slightly in the second half, it wasn’t enough to justify their  struggles. 

I still feel their planning wasn’t up to the mark. They need to reassess their batting lineup.  While it seems likely they’ll stick with Sunil Narine—who was outstanding last year—that’s  understandable. You can’t make too many changes just because a couple of games  haven’t gone your way. 

That said, Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh must step up and play key roles. With no  Shreyas Iyer this year, their contributions become even more crucial. Venkatesh is a top quality player, and so is Rinku. In fact, Rinku is more than just a finisher—he has the ability  to anchor the innings as well. He had his chance against Mumbai, and now it’s time for him  to make a bigger impact. 

He had plenty of time to settle in at the crease, and the same goes for Venkatesh. Right  now, they’re both struggling to find their best form with the bat, which is significantly  affecting the team. 

Perhaps they can also get more out of Ramandeep Singh. Angkrish Raghuvanshi, to be fair,  looked in good touch in the last game. While he didn’t make a major contribution, his was  still the best individual score. I think Ramandeep is batting too low, and perhaps they could  tweak the lineup to make better use of him. There are definitely a few adjustments they can  make to strengthen their batting order and help him be more effective. 

As for their bowling, it’s hard to judge since the game was essentially lost with the bat. 

One possibility for KKR is bringing in Anrich Nortje to replace Spencer Johnson, though if I  were them, I wouldn’t make that change just yet—it feels too early for such moves.  However, it remains an option if they choose to go that route.

Harshit Rana struggled in the last game, failing to adapt to the conditions, which is  something he needs to improve on. He kept trying to bowl slower balls to Ryan Rickelton  when the pitch actually called for hard lengths and extracting movement. It was a poor  performance overall, and they’ll be hoping for more favorable conditions at Eden Gardens. 

There’s been a lot of media discussion about the pitch, and I completely agree—home  advantage matters. I’ve said this multiple times last year as well. 

With Varun Chakaravarthy and Narine in the lineup, you want a pitch that offers some  assistance to your two star spinners. For their sake, I hope the surface provides more  support for them. 

Beyond the batting lineup needing to step up, Andre Russell must deliver as well—both  with the bat and the ball. He needs to bowl more overs; the last game was the first time he  bowled, and while he did manage to dismiss Rohit Sharma, they’ll need more from him. 

Last year, he took 19 wickets in 15 games, so you’d expect Russell to bowl more overs than  he has so far. It’s a big night for him—and an even bigger one for KKR. 

Playing at home, in front of their crowd, as defending champions against last year’s  finalists, they haven’t been at their best in recent games. But I fully expect them to step up  and deliver a strong performance here. 

I expect KKR to break free from their struggles and deliver a strong performance here.  They’re up against a quality side, but like KKR, SRH haven’t been at their best in recent  games either. That said, I expect both teams to respond well to their recent setbacks. 

For SRH, it’s only their second game away from home, and they might believe their batting  lineup is as strong as any—perhaps even the best in the competition. However, they’ve lost  19 wickets in their last two games, which is a concern they’ll need to address. 

I don’t expect them to change their approach, strategy, or mindset—nor should they.  They’ll want to keep pushing forward, and they might even feel they have the edge. 

Zeeshan Ansari had a fantastic debut, adding another option to their lineup. With the  impact sub rule, they couldn’t use Adam Zampa in the last game due to their batting  struggles, so having another leg-spin option is a big plus. 

As for Abhishek Sharma, he hasn’t quite found his rhythm yet—but it’s only a matter of  time before he does. One thing is certain—Abhishek will find his form. Travis Head has  been building up, and their batting lineup is on the verge of clicking, I feel.

However, Abhinav Manohar has been a concern, with three single-digit scores, which  might force them to reassess his position. While SRH is often seen as a powerhouse on flat  pitches with an explosive batting lineup, their bowling attack is just as formidable. With  Mohammad Shami, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, and Harshal Patel in the mix, they have  plenty of firepower. 

That said, Cummins, Shami, and Zampa haven’t quite been at their best, particularly on  the flatter wickets they’ve played on so far. Both teams are eager to bounce back with a  strong performance, and I expect them to go all out tonight. They’re desperate to regain  their best form, so don’t be surprised if we get a thrilling contest. 

Hopefully, the pitch will be a good one—ideally offering just a little more assistance to  KKR’s spinners. 

With the mega auction reshaping squads, teams are still finding their rhythm in these early  games. It’s a real challenge for captains and team management to strike the right  balance—sticking with their initial combinations while resisting the urge to make too many  early changes. 

You trust your instincts when selecting your squad, but after a couple of games, doubts  can creep in. It’s tempting to tweak the lineup, questioning whether those initial gut calls  were right. However, there’s also the need to give players a fair shot—to let those instincts  either prove themselves or fall short. 

Both KKR and SRH will likely stick to their original approach, even with some changes in  personnel. They’ll want to back their initial strategy and give their chosen players the  confidence to perform.