IPL Fantasy 2018, RR vs RCB, SRH vs KKR: 4 tips to help you score big today
The final doubleheader of this year's IPL promises so much excitement. There are still spots up for grabs in the playoffs and tonight's matches will have a significant say in determining who gets them.
First up, the Rajasthan Royals take on Royal Challengers Bangalore with the contest being a must-win for both sides and later in the night, it's Kolkata Knight Riders taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad who badly need a win before their first qualifier match. Here are some suggestions to help you pick your fantasy teams today:
Are the replacements good enough?
In one word - NO. But do you have a choice? Again, the answer is NO. We are talking about the replacements for Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes. How can you even replace Buttler in this form? At least with Stokes, it's fine since he has been far off his best. D'Arcy Short and Heinrich Klaasen are the favourites to replace these two players and if you are looking to take a massive gamble, then pick both these players.
If you are looking to play it safe, then pick only Klaasen. D'Arcy has been woeful against spin and RCB have the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Moeen Ali to trouble him. The surface at Jaipur is also on the slower side which will add to the Australian's problems but Klaasen on the other hand, has a good technique against the spinners, so expect him to fire in the middle order.
Conditions to have a huge impact
One thing's for sure, do not expect a high-scoring game in these conditions. The track has time and time again shown this season that it's been on the slower side. The boundaries at Jaipur are also bigger. The likes of Rahane and Samson have struggled here so I wouldn't pick both.
I wouldn't want to pick someone like AB de Villiers as well as he likes the ball coming onto the bat but this is a crunch game so I'm pretty sure the fantasy users wouldn't want to take that risk of leaving him out. Virat Kohli is a must as he is the best equipped from both sides to make the most of the situation. And I would also pick Moeen for this clash after his exploits against SRH. He plays spin well and he can offer a lot with the ball as well.
No team without Kane
It's a no-brainer really! Scoring big runs has been difficult in Hyderabad as well with the surface not really aiding stroke-making. But no matter what the conditions are, one man has stood tall and taken the IPL by storm this season. Kane Williamson has been a delight to watch. With that footwork, he can surely tackle Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav. I wouldn't want to invest on Alex Hales against this KKR attack but Williamson gets slotted in without any doubts.
Role for spin
Kuldeep and Narine are a certainty for me. Narine has always had this aura around him and Kuldeep found his mojo in the previous game. The pitch will aid these two as well and against an SRH middle order that's been shaky, KKR can make inroads and give themselves the best chance to make it to the playoffs.
On the other hand, their batsmen will have to come up against the likes of Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan, which is no mean task. I would personally not consider picking someone like Chris Lynn on this pitch but Dinesh Karthik will remain the key. He is terrific against the spinners and his form has been great for a while now. Andre Russell will make only minimal impact judging the conditions and the opposition but if you can afford to make room for him, you can still pick him.