NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bowl first in a crucial clash against Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Eden Gardens, aiming to capitalize on the chasing advantage at the historic venue.
Expressing his decision after winning the toss, du Plessis highlighted the traditional trend favoring chasing teams at Eden Gardens.
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"We will chase. This is probably a chasing ground, always has been," he stated, citing the conducive conditions for pursuing targets. However, he acknowledged the slight drop in temperature compared to previous matches in other cities, indicating a potential shift in game dynamics.
Du Plessis also emphasized the strength of RCB's batting lineup, suggesting that the team's formidable firepower could neutralize any target set by the opposition. "The batting is so strong that a general score of 60-70 isn't considered great. We know if we do a few things back, the momentum can be back and we do have the firepower," he remarked, underlining RCB's confidence in their batting prowess.
Additionally, du Plessis announced three changes to the RCB lineup, reintroducing Kyle Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj, and Mayank Dagar, in a bid to regain momentum and assert dominance in the match.
Responding to du Plessis' decision, KKR captain Shreyas Iyer expressed his team's eagerness to bowl first too under the sweltering conditions at Eden Gardens. "Last afternoon game here, we know how the wicket plays, we would have loved to bowl as well," he admitted, recognizing the challenges posed by the intense heat.
Iyer emphasized the importance of simplicity and adherence to game plans, stressing the need for KKR to execute their strategies effectively to secure a favorable outcome.
He confirmed that KKR would maintain the same playing XI from their previous match, banking on continuity and consistency to deliver a strong performance.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Playing XI: Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (w), Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj
Kolkata Knight Riders Playing XI: Philip Salt (w), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana.
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