IPL 2019, KKR vs CSK: Two changes that Kolkata Knight Riders should make for the match
Kolkata Knight Riders host the table toppers, Chennai Super Kings, at the Eden Gardens on Sunday in match 29 of IPL 2019. Both these teams come into this match on the back of contrasting fortunes and results as CSK won their last game against RR in an absolute thriller while KKR were beaten by DC comprehensively.
KKR started the tournament with a bang but recently they have had to deal with some problems as they have now lost two games on the bounce. Their batting lineup looks too dependent on the power of Andre Russell and their bowling has looked terrible this year.
Kuldeep Yadav has looked out of sorts so far and Dinesh Karthik needs to come with solutions on Sunday as they face arguably the best team in IPL this year so far.
So, keeping all that in mind, here are the two changes that KKR should make for the match CSK.
#1 Joe Denly out - Sunil Narine in
Joe Denly didn't have the best of debuts in the IPL as he was bowled by Ishant Sharma with an absolute ripper. The ball coming in beat Denly's drive and knocked the stumps.
It is very harsh to drop the Englishman after just one game but with Narine expected to be fit for the match against CSK, he is likely to replace Denly in the playing XI.
Also, with Shubhman Gill performing at the top of the order for KKR in the last game, Chris Lynn is expected to stay out of the playing XI and we may see Narine and Gill walking out to open the batting for the home side against the three-time IPL champions.
#2 Lockie Ferguson out - Harry Gurney in
Lockie Ferguson replaced Harry Gurney in the last match against Delhi Capitals but the New Zealander hasn't really done much to justify his place in the starting XI. Also, Ferguson is a much similar bowler to Prasidh Krishna and he really doesn't offer much variety in the KKR pace battery.
Whereas, Gurney is a left arm pacer who has all the variations in the book and he offers something different for Karthik to look at. The Englishman is a T20 specialist and he really shouldn't have been dropped in the first place after playing just two games, so, expect him to come back into the playing XI against CSK.