IPL 2016, KKR vs RPS Playing 11: Today's Probable XI for Kolkata Knight Riders and Rising Pune Supergiants

Pune will be looking to win a few matches before their IPL campaign ends

Here's how Rising Pune Supergiants may line up for the match:

Batting

Opener Ajinkya Rahane has been the most dependable batsman in the RPS batting line-up with 417 runs at an average of just over 46. Skipper MS Dhoni has also been in decent form and scored 212 runs from 10 innings. Saurabh Tiwary has impressed a bit ever since he was moved to the top order and has scored 2 half-centuries in the tournament.

The Supergiants lost as many as three frontline batsmen as a result of injuries to Kevin Pietersen, Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis. Their replacements, Usman Khawaja and George Bailey, have not managed to create much of an impression in the few matches that they have played.

All-rounders

Sri Lankan Thisara Perera has been Pune's best all-rounder in their debut season with some useful runs in the lower-order and a few handy wickets. Albie Morkel was tried for a couple of matches in the all-rounder role but he was unable to produce the goods. Injuries also plagued RPS in the all-rounders department with Mitchell Marsh having to leave midway.

Bowling

Young Australian leggie Adam Zampa is the top wicket-taker for the Supergiants with 8 wickets in just 2 matches. Zampa recorded the best figures of this IPL season when he picked 6 for 19 against SRH, albeit in a losing cause. Perera has also claimed 8 wickets in his 9 matches whereas paceman Ashok Dinda has 7 wickets to his name.

Among other bowlers, Murugan Ashwin has picked up 7 wickets but these came only in his first 5 matches and he has gone wicket-less in 4 matches ever since. Ravichandran Ashwin has been quite miserly with an economy rate of under 7 but has failed to take wickets with just 4 from 11 matches till now. Rajat Bhatia, meanwhile, has been impressive for his 6 wickets and has conceded his runs at just 7.17 per over.

Probable Playing XI

Ajinkya Rahane, Usman Khawaja, Saurabh Tiwary, George Bailey, MS Dhoni (c) (wk), Thisara Perera, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rajat Bhatia, Adam Zampa, Ashok Dinda.