KKR vs RCB, IPL 2023: KKR Player Ratings as Shardul shines before spinners wreak havoc

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) notched up their first win of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), thrashing the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 81 runs at Eden Gardens on Thursday, April 6.

After being asked to bat, the Knight Riders lost their way in the middle overs before Shardul Thakur's stunning innings lifted them to an above-par 204/7. The home spinners then wreaked havoc in the second innings, taking nine wickets between them to bundle RCB out for just 123.

Here are KKR's player ratings from Match 9 of IPL 2023 against RCB.

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IPL 2023, KKR vs RCB: Narine, Varun, Suyash spin a web as Shardul's all-round show floors Bangalore

Virat Kohli had no answers to a ripping off-break from Sunil Narine

Venkatesh Iyer: 1/10

Venkatesh has completely lost his golden touch over the last two IPL seasons. Opening the batting this time, the left-hander's feet moved nowhere as David Willey shattered his stumps.

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Rahmanullah Gurbaz: 8/10

Gurbaz helped KKR through a rough period in the powerplay while also maintaining a high scoring rate. He notched up his maiden IPL fifty, striking six fours and three sixes in an innings of great promise. The Afghan batter played a long innings instead of walking back after a tasteful start in a welcome sign.

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Mandeep Singh: 2/10

Mandeep's struggles in the IPL continued as a beautiful delivery from Willey beat him all ends up. The batter's place in the KKR playing XI is in danger.

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Nitish Rana: 2/10

Rana failed for the second game running. The KKR captain attempted a reverse-sweep off Michael Bracewell's first ball, walking back for just one run. His bowling changes were decent, though.

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Rinku Singh: 8/10

Rinku started slowly and struggled for momentum. He was initially happy to turn the strike over to the big-hitting Shardul Thakur but came into his own in an expensive Harshal Patel over. The southpaw was dismissed in the penultimate over for a 33-ball 46, an innings that did its job for the side.

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Andre Russell: 1/10

Russell's complete lack of game awareness surfaced once more. He tried to clear the long-off boundary off his very first delivery with his team in a tricky situation, only to hole out. KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit needs to somehow correct an issue that has plagued the West Indian throughout his career.

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Sunil Narine: 8/10

After an indifferent outing in KKR's previous game, Narine was in his element at Eden Gardens. He picked up the wicket of Virat Kohli to start the RCB procession against spin and then added another victim to his list.

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Umesh Yadav: 5/10

Umesh contributed six runs at the end of KKR's innings that eventually turned out to have no impact on the result. His two powerplay overs went for 17 runs.

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Varun Chakaravarthy: 9.5/10

Chakaravarthy was arguably the pick of the KKR bowlers. He castled Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell and Harshal Patel to put Bangalore in all sorts of trouble. The spinner even defied doubts over his fielding ability to grab a stunning high catch off his own bowling that was the final nail in RCB's coffin.

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Tim Southee: 2/10

Southee was expensive for the second game running. He leaked 25 runs in his two overs as Du Plessis and Kohli took the attack to him.

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Shardul Thakur: 9.5/10

Thakur turned in an astonishing batting display in Kolkata, hammering 68 off just 29 balls. Although he kept the fielders interested at times, the all-rounder's knock changed the complexion of the game completely. He also bounced out Michael Bracewell and took a catch.

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Suyash Sharma [impact]: 8/10

Suyash sent down the odd rank long hop but seems to have immense ability. Playing his first top-level game, the leggie returned three wickets and didn't seem overawed by the situation. He could be a major asset for KKR in IPL 2023.