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Two teams that missed out on the playoffs in the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), will face off in Match 3 of the new campaign at the Eden Gardens on Saturday, March 23.
Many things have changed for both sides. Their skippers are different from the ones they had last year, with Shreyas Iyer back at the helm and Pat Cummins newly appointed after being signed at the auction. There were concerns over Shreyas' participation, but he seems to have pulled through well enough.
Cummins was signed for over ₹20 crore at the IPL 2024 auction, and he wasn't even the most expensive Australian seamer. That honor went to KKR spearhead Mitchell Starc, who needs to somehow come up with a bagful of wickets upon his return to the league.
The SunRisers have troubles when it comes to choosing their overseas combination, while the Knight Riders have a relatively more settled combination despite needing to fill an all-rounder spot lower down the order.
The recent spoils have been shared, with KKR winning three of their last five meetings. The two-time IPL champions didn't have a great time at home last year, though, losing five of their seven matches.
Can Kolkata make a packed crowd at the Eden Gardens happy? Or will Cummins' golden year start another chapter on a good note?
IPL 2024, KKR vs SRH: Cummins vs Starc, and much more
KKR have an all-Indian batting unit, but SRH might fancy their chances against them. The two-bouncer rule is expected to ask serious questions of Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh, although the short boundaries at the Eden Gardens could produce a high-scoring contest.
Kolkata's key to success lies in their spin attack. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy are the main men, but Suyash Sharma is on the back of an incredible Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign and shouldn't be forgotten.
When it comes to taking on spinners for SRH, Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen will be the frontrunners. It remains to be seen what kind of batting order the Orange Army deploy, but Abhishek and Klaasen need to be given free rein against the spinners.
Both teams are evenly matched on paper, and it's tough to predict a winner without seeing them play. KKR might be slightly undermanned in the pace department, whereas SRH seem to have most bases covered. Moreover, Cummins has shown how to get things done lately and could bring the best out of a talented Hyderabad side.
Much will depend on how the Eden Gardens surface plays. If it's a rank turner, the home side could feast with their spinners. If it isn't, however, the SRH pace battery could enjoy bowling to KKR's Indian core.
The Knight Riders are a supremely talented side and have what it takes to triumph on Saturday. However, on paper, the SunRisers have fewer question marks and arguably more versatility on the roster. They might just have a slight edge, although this one could go either way.
Prediction: SRH to win Match 3 of IPL 2024.
Get all the live updates from the match here!
