IPL 2017, KXIP vs RPS Preview: Punjab Seek Fresh Start Against Upbeat Pune

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) are not in a happy place when you look at their record in the Indian Premier League. Having finished rock bottom in the last two tournaments, one could understand their hesitancy and concern as they take on Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), who just posted their first win this season. KXIP have a lot of new things to deal with. A new skipper in Australian Glenn Maxwell and a new home ground in the Holkar Cricket Stadium at Indore, moving away from Mohali.

They will be seeking the right formula to implement, while RPS have already seen what all they need to tinker with and have the momentum of their hard-earned win over Mumbai Indians.

But the Twenty20 format leaves all teams on equal footing when the match starts. Things only fall into or out of place when the match begins.

With the likes of Eoin Morgan, David Miller, Hashim Amla, Martin Guptill, Shaun Marsh and Marcus Stoinis in the team, Maxwell has the luxury to call on some of the best T20 batsmen in the world but it's anyone guess that will this season be a hit or a miss for them.

RPS also have a sensational batting line-up and South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir has really added to the bowling clout.

They should be in a great form of mind beginning their second match, while KXIP have no other option but to go up. That makes for quite a contest.

Complete Squads

Kings XI Punjab: David Miller, Manan Vohra, Axar Patel, Glenn Maxwell (C), Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Anureet Singh, Sandeep Sharma, Shaun Marsh, Wriddhiman Saha, Murali Vijay, Nikhil Naik, Mohit Sharma, Marcus Stoinis, KC Cariappa, Armaan Jaffer, Pardeep Sahu, Swapnil Singh, Hashim Amla, Varun Aaron, Eoin Morgan, Matt Henry, Rahul Tewatia, Martin Guptill, Darren Sammy, Rinku Singh, T Natarajan.

Rising Pune Supergiant: Steve Smith (C), Mayank Agarwal, Ankit Sharma, Baba Aparajith, Ankush Bains, Rajat Bhatia, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Chahar, Dan Christian, MS Dhoni (w), Ashok Dinda, Faf du Plessis, Lockie Ferguson, Imran Tahir, Jaskaran Singh, Usman Khawaja, Ajinkya Rahane, Saurabh Kumar, Ben Stokes, Milind Tandon, Manoj Tiwary, Adam Zampa, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishwar Pandey, Rahul Tripathi, Shardul Thakur.