IPL 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders’ strongest predicted playing XI against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Qualifier 1

KKR vs MI. (Source -IPL/BCCI)

The coveted Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) season has entered its business end, with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1, on Tuesday, May 21. KKR were the first team to qualify for the playoffs, finishing the league stage as table toppers with 20 points and an excellent net run rate of 1.428 – the most by any team in IPL history.

They have dominated the tournament so far with excellent impressive from all departments. However, they got a formidable opponent in the high-stakes battle. SRH ended their group stage campaign with 14 points and a net run rate of +0.414.

It is difficult to predict a winner based on their recent form, but KKR will have a slight edge as the two-time champions picked up two points when the two teams met earlier this season. However, it was a narrow four-run victory and KKR are coming after a 10-day break as their last two league matches got washed out. Has that had any impact on their momentum?

Here’s the strongest predicted playing XI of KKR for Qualifier 1 IPL 2024 season:

Openers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine. (Source -IPL/BCCI)

Apart from the long break, another factor hampering KKR’s winning streak is the absence of Phil Salt. The Englishman has formed one of the most dangerous opening combos of the season with Sunil Narine. But with Salt returning to England for national duty, Rahmanullah Gurbaz is likely to come in at the opening slot.

While there is no doubt about Gurbaz’s ability, the fact that the Afghanistan player has not played a single match this season is a concern for the management. Narine, who is in scintillating form, has more responsibility to provide a strong powerplay. The West Indies all-rounder has scored 461 runs at a staggering strike rate of 182.94.

Also Check: Orange Cap in IPL 2024- Most Runs

Middle-order: Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh  

Rinku Singh. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)

Angkrish Raghuvanshi may return to the XI in the upcoming match. The youngster was in good form in the first half of the season but saw a slight dip in his form as the tournament progressed. Venkatesh Iyer is the mainstay in their middle order. The southpaw has been impressive in recent matches and he has won a few matches with some incredible knocks.

Shreyas Iyer has yet to play an impressive innings this season. As the tournament enters its crucial phase, the management will expect more contributions from the skipper and at the same time the pressure will be on him to deliver. Rinku Singh had a smashing season last year but this time he could not live up to the expectations.

All-rounders: Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh

Andre Russell. (Source -IPL/BCCI)

Andre Russell once again proved to be an indispensable part of the team. The big man hasn’t had much fun with power-hitting this season, but he’s made a few brief impactful cameos. But it can be said that Russell’s bowling prowess has overshadowed his batting this year.

Ramandeep Singh is a lower-order batter who aims to give the team a blistering finish. The right-hander often got a very limited number of balls to face but managed to make the most of most of the opportunities. He can also chip in some overs in the middle, but KKR didn’t experiment with it much as they had plenty of options available.

Bowlers: Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy. (Source -IPL/BCCI)

Mitchell Starc grabbed the limelight ahead of the season as the most expensive player in IPL history. But he has failed to live up to his reputation with a string of underwhelming performances. Although the left-arm pacer has managed to find some form in recent matches, his consistency is still uncertain.

Harshit Rana has performed well so far with 16 wickets in 10 innings. He handles the new ball with Starc aiming to make a strong start in the powerplay. KKR’s spin department is in the safe hands of Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine. Both are in great form, perhaps one of the main reasons behind their remarkable run so far. Chakravarthy, who has taken 18 wickets, is in pursuit to clinch the Purple Cap.

Also Check: Purple Cap in IPL 2024 – Most Wickets

KKR’s Predicted XI against SRH:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy

Impact Substitute: Vaibhav Arora