IPL 2019, KKR vs SRH: Top 5 players to watch out for

The Kolkata Knight Riders meet the Sunrisers Hyderabad today in what we hope should be an exciting match. With the lackluster opening provided by CSK vs RCB, a tooth and nail fight to the finish is definitely what is needed to amp up the excitement for this IPL season.

Kolkata Knight Riders would be out for revenge after getting kicked off the tournament by the Sunrisers in the playoffs last year. However, KKR does hold a better record in their faceoffs so far having won 9 out of the 15 matches the teams have faced off in.

It would be interesting to see how the match plays out in yet another spin-friendly team line up. While Knight Riders can boast of players like Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, and Sunil Narine, Sunrisers can proudly claim to have Rashid Khan, Shakib Al Hasan, and Shahbaz Nadeem in their corner.

With a win crucial for either side, we take a look at the five players that could change the game for their respective teams in the faceoff.

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#5 Sunil Narine (KKR)

Will Narine spin this victory for KKR?

Sunil Narine has proven his worth time and again in IPL history. He is arguably the most successful IPL spinner of all time. This is not just a mere boast but fact, backed up by evidence, as he has won Player of the Tournament twice in 2012 and 2018 respectively.

He led KKR to the 2012 title win with his fantastic bowling. That is not all though, as he is also a hard-hitting batsman, gathering 357 runs in 16 matches besides taking 17 wickets in 2018.

This would be a comeback for Narine who missed out on the PSL due to a finger injury. He might very well be the man that leads KKR to another victory, whether by stopping batsmen with his outlandish bowling style or amassing run with his newfound confidence with the bat.

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#4 Andre Russell (KKR)

Will Andre flip the game for KKR one more time?

Andre Russell has been the X factor in the KKR line up for a while now. His ability to turn the game in his favor makes him highly sought after. The Carribean all-rounder is capable of turning any match around whether it be through his bowling prowess or his ability to knock it out of the park.

The right arm fast bowler has made stupendous splashes with the bat as well, like his knock of 88 runs in 32 balls which also consisted of 11 sixes. Last season, he scored 316 runs with an unbelievable strike rate of 184.79 while picking up 13 wickets as well. It is this well-rounded talent of Russell that makes him a lethal competitor to go up against.

If Russell can summon up his usual magic, KKR might already have this match in the bag. It is undeniable that he is a key player to watch out for who possess the ability to flip the game at any given moment.

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#3 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH)

Will Bhuvnesh Kumar swing or miss?

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been an Indian national team mainstay for a while now and his experience as a veteran of the game will be a treasure trove for the Sunrisers. His performance in the IPL has been exemplary, with 120 wickets in 102 games and an economy rate of 7.15.

His high caliber performances have been rewarded as he has won the Purple Cap twice in 2016 and 2017 since he joined with the SRH in 2014.

His form has suffered in recent times partly due to a long run with injuries. This could be an ideal platform for him to make his comeback as he is back to prime fitness. He could very well form the backbone of SRH's bowling line up if he finds his stride and confidence back in time for the crucial matchup.

SRH is having a bit of a bad run with injuries recently with team captain Kane Williamson's fate still undecided due to a shoulder injury.

It is to be hoped that the Uttar Pradesh medium pacer can stay adrift of any mishaps and help his team through to a win.

#2 Dinesh Karthik (KKR)

Will DK lead his team to victory?

Leading man Dinesh Karthik would be at the helm captaining KKR for a second season. Last season was a good one for Karthik with him being the top run-scorer for KKR with 498 runs in 16 matches.

DK made his way back into the national team and will be trying to prove his worth in IPL 2019 to carve his place in the ICC World Cup team that starts May 30. A lot is riding on his performance in this season of IPL as it may well predict the way he goes after IPL too. Karthik is one of the contenders for the No. 4 slot in India's world cup squad.

Taking over the reins of KKR from Gautam Gambhir, Karthik had a mountain of a task ahead of him and he has fulfilled his part admirably. Leading a team of relatively inexperienced players is always a hard obstacle to overcome but Karthik has rallied his troops well and looks to be in a good position to take home a win in this match.

#1 David Warner (SRH)

Will David Warner get a shot at redemption?

There is no denying that David Warner is an incredible player. Having said that, it is crucial to take into account the year he has had. He has been banned for 12 months for his involvement in the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.

It is also important to note that Warner will not be available for the entire IPL tournament as he is scheduled to be at a 2019 World Cup training camp starting May. Cricket Australia has instructed players to be available throughout and it begins well before IPL's conclusion on May 19.

That aside, SRH has another issue that could plague them in the match. Warner recently had to leave Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) tournament midway after suffering an elbow injury. This makes the third player in the SRH line up struggling with form and fitness issues. This could prove to be a fatal drawback in the match against KKR players who have been having a good run lately.

Warner might also have personal stakes involved in this match as it is his shot at redemption after being debarred from playing in the league last year.

On his good days, Warner made numerous records in the IPL, including scoring the most runs by an overseas player (4014), most half centuries (35) and the highest individual score by a captain (126) in the league.

It is to be hoped that Warner can find this rhythm before the match against KKR as his team might be in dire need of an extraordinary display of talent to snare the win from the opposing team.

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