The Kolkata Knight Riders camp is most likely to go ahead with the same team combination which overhauled Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their opening fixture of the second phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Eoin Morgan-led side ticked all boxes as they made RCB play catch-up from the word go. With their bowlers executing their plans to perfection, the fielding as well as the batting group maintained the high level of expectation. With defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in their way next, KKR could well be tempted to try out either Shakib al Hasan or Kuldeep Yadav on spin-friendly tracks. Sunil Narine could get the axe if the aforementioned change happens.
MI could be bolstered by the return of their regular captain Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, both of whom were rested for the opener of the second phase of IPL 2021 against CSK. Rohit was seen sitting on the sidelines with Kieron Pollard leading the MI side in his absence.
Here is the XI we think KKR will field against MI on Thursday:
Shubman Gill: Gill announced himself back to form with an impeccable display of batting as he gathered 48 runs off just 34 balls to help KKR sail through to the target of 93 runs.
Venkatesh Iyer: The Iyer which hardly anyone talked about before the tournament began, Venkatesh hit a sublime 41-run knock in 27 balls and remained unbeaten as KKR registered a 9-wicket victory.
Nitish Rana: Rana stole the show in the first phase of IPL in India when he scored 201 runs in 7 matches while opening the batting. His electric fielding keeps him in good stead to make the playing XI in top games.
Rahul Tripathi: Along with Iyer, Tripathi can also be seen as the find of IPL 2021. The consistency shown by the youngster helped him make the cut in the final XI. He scored 187 runs in seven games in the first leg of the competition.
Eoin Morgan: Morgan's captaincy skills have never been in question; however, with the second phase underway, there have been instances of his batting form making the headlines. With only 92 runs in 7 matches in the first phase, Morgan will be eager to prove his worth with the bat.
Andre Russell: Russell continues to be the main man for the franchise, not only with the bat but also with the ball. His three wickets in 3 overs, while conceding only 9 runs, went a long way in dismantling a strong RCB batting line-up.
Dinesh Karthik: For KKR, captain Karthik remains key to the leadership core of the team. His wicket-keeping and finishing skills make him a lethal T20 player for the side.
Sunil Narine: Narine purely makes the team due to the balance he brings for the franchise. With an ability to open the bowling, break partnerships and act as a floater in the batting order, Narine brings it all to the table.
Lockie Ferguson: Ferguson's electrifying pace combined with perfect line and length helped him register figures of two wickets in 4 overs for 24 runs against RCB.
Varun Chakaravarthy: The mysterious spinner, who was awarded for his brilliant disguise and variations through a call-up to India's T20 World Cup squad, proved his selection right vs RCB. He jolted the team with three wickets for 13 runs in his 4 overs.
Prasidh Krishna: Krishna's fighting spirit makes him an exciting prospect. His dismissal of RCB skipper Virat Kohli after being hit through the covers brought his winning mentality to the fore.