NEW DELHI: In a significant move ahead of their crucial IPL 2025 clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dropped Moeen Ali and brought in Caribbean all-rounder Rovman Powell, who was bought for Rs 1.5 crore in the auction.
Along with Powell, KKR also handed a game to left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya, replacing Ramandeep Singh.
At the toss, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer elected to bat first at Eden Gardens. PBKS made two changes as well, bringing in Glenn Maxwell and Azmatullah Omarzai for Marcus Stoinis and Xavier Bartlett.
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KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane stressed the importance of positive cricket at the toss. He acknowledged the team’s struggles with the bat and called for a braver approach. “The bowling unit has done well, but our batters need to be more fearless,” Rahane said.
This fixture carries extra emotional weight, with Shreyas Iyer returning to Eden Gardens in opposition colours.
Just last season, Iyer led KKR to their first title in ten years. Released in a surprise off-season decision, Iyer has flourished at PBKS under Ricky Ponting’s guidance, taking his side into the playoff hunt. He has already scored 263 runs this season, though he arrives for this game with a slight dip in form.
KKR, meanwhile, are desperate to revive their campaign after five losses in eight games. Their batting lineup has lacked consistency, with Andre Russell and Rinku Singh struggling for finishes. The inclusion of Rovman Powell is expected to inject some much-needed power in the middle order.
Spin, once KKR’s strength at Eden, has not yielded the expected results this season, adding to their headaches. Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine have been among wickets but haven’t dominated matches.
Punjab Kings, on the other hand, appear more settled, with young talents like Priyansh Arya and key bowlers like Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal offering balance.
KKR must win at least five of their remaining six games to realistically stay in the playoff race.
Teams:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
