🏏IPL 2025 Match 53: KKR vs RR at Eden Gardens @ 3.30 PM IST🏏 - Page 4

Sreshth has some concerning news for KKR fans: "Some question marks over Ajinkya Rahane's availability today. He batted for only about 5-7 minutes yesterday with a bandaged right hand webbing before chatting with the medical team and the head coach. He is the teams highest run scorer this season - 297 in nine innings.

Venkatesh Iyer is the usual vice captain but he's also been subbed out often, with Narine captaining the bowling innings against DC."

Thanks Parm for the thread and tag

While KKR need to pretty much win all their matches from now, Rovman Powell says it is important for them to focus on one game at a time, and 'not get too desperate'.

Pitch and Conditions: "We are at the iconic Eden Gardens where KKR are taking on RR. It is an important game especially for KKR. The dimensions - 66 meters on one side, 60 on the other and 74 down the ground. Visually what you look at is the dry area here (points to a spot), there is a covering of grass but all the grass is dead. There is no grass on these dry areas. The one challenge for the groundstaff would have been to keep moisture on this surface for as long as you can. Even though aesthetically it looks dry and really dark, it doesn't look like it is going to break up, still sticking together quite well. Sometimes at the Eden Gardens you can get the jigsaw puzzle type of wicket where the surface seems to come out of the ground, I don't think it is going to do that massively. I really think it is good to bat on otherwise. In the first half it might slow down a bit, might help the spinners, but since the sunsets are early here, you would want to chase as batting might get easier," read Deep Dasgupta and Eoin Morgan.

Moeen Ali: We know what we have to do, we need to win all our games. It's a big game today. They are a really good side and they have some brilliant players. We are looking forward to it. He (Rahane) is good, but he will hide somewhere in the field (due to the injury), that means I will be somewhere in the hotspot today. You need to keep yourself on the top of your game and need to keep practising well. They told me at the start that I will play certain games, depending on the wickets. You have to take it in your stride and try to be as professional as you can. When there are left-handers in the opposition you have more chances of playing as an off-spinner. We have two of the best T20 spinners with us, so difficult to break into that side. They (Jaiswal and Suryavanshi) are talented young players, so it's going to be challenge for us. We also have some world class players in our side, so we are ready for it.

Even if their season is over, there are plenty of cricket fans who will tune in for Rajasthan Royals' remaining games to get a glimpse of the 14-year-old sensation, Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He made history when he was picked up in the auction, more when he made his debut and then broke into the spotlight with the second-fastest century in IPL history

Kolkata Knight Riders have won the toss and have opted to bat

Kolkata Knight Riders have won the toss and have opted to bat

Right then, it's toss time..

Ajinkya Rahane: We are going to bat first, looks a little dry. Not sure if it slows down in the second innings. We want to put a total on the board and defend it. Need to keep it simple. It's all about taking one game at a time. Everyone's contribution was good in the last game. Need to assess the conditions and adapt to it quickly. I am working really hard on my game, playing domestic has helped me a lot. Trying to enjoy my game. Moeen and Ramandeep are back in the side.

Ajinkya Rahane: We are going to bat first, looks a little dry. Not sure if it slows down in the second innings. We want to put a total on the board and defend it. Need to keep it simple. It's all about taking one game at a time. Everyone's contribution was good in the last game. Need to assess the conditions and adapt to it quickly. I am working really hard on my game, playing domestic has helped me a lot. Trying to enjoy my game. Moeen and Ramandeep are back in the side.