Royals look to strike form against KKR
Defending champions Rajasthan Royals will look for a quick turnaround in their fortunes, while a rejuvenated Kolkata Knight Riders would aim to carry on the winning momentum when the two sides clash in the IPL match tomorrow, reports Rakesh Thapliyal.
It’s another of those high profile contests featuring teams owned by Bollywood superstars. After Chris Gayle did the trick for the Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders in the rain-truncated match against Kings XI on Tuesday, KKR are gearing up to upset the calculations of defending champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) co-owned by Shilpa Shetty.
KKR are seriously fancying their chances as the Shane Warne-led team was squarely thrashed by the Royal Challengers in Newlands and also suffered the disappointment of a washed out match against the Mumbai Indians on Tuesday.
But RR are taking heart from the fact that they had lost the first match in the inaugural edition last year as well, after which they never looked back and went on to win the title.
But they don’t have the services of the charismatic Shane Watson and Pakistan left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir this time around.
KKR meanwhile have fewer worries and are keeping their spirits high after earning two points on Tuesday following.
On Thursday, spectators are expected to turn out in huge numbers not just to witness another congregation of stars, but also to see the guile of Warne's deliveries. The spin wizard, along with Graeme Smith and Yusuf Pathan are the ones who can turn the tide for Rajasthan Royals.
It's time for RR to make a fresh start. After all, the IPL is all about forgetting defeats and making new beginnings.