Big picture: A tale of two top orders
After having conceded the highest IPL total at Eden Gardens, Kolkata Knight Riders will run into Royal Challengers Bangalore for another potential run-fest at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. In all, KKR have conceded three 200-plus scores across seven games this season, with the recent injury to Shardul Thakur also messing with the balance of their side.
KKR's issues at the top are more pressing: they have used five different opening pairs in seven matches, they have lost the most wickets (17) in the powerplay, and their run rate (7.80) during this phase is the second lowest among all teams this IPL. Only midway into the tournament, KKR have used all their eight overseas players so far, and are searching for stability on that front too.
As for RCB, their top order has been central to their success. Faf du Plessis, who was once Chennai Super Kings' designated pace hitter, has now raised his game against spin as well. Du Plessis and Virat Kohli have been the most prolific opening pair this IPL, tallying almost 500 runs, including two century stands. Glenn Maxwell has been in red-hot form, especially at the Chinnaswamy, rattling off three half-centuries in his last four innings at the venue. The brilliance of the trio has somewhat eased the burden on a misfiring middle order.
With Mohammed Siraj being penetrative - both in the powerplay and at the death - and Harshal Patel getting his slower balls to dip sharply at batters once again, RCB will be looking to end their stretch of home games with another victory. They will be on the road for their next five matches before returning to the Chinnaswamy for their final league fixture, against Gujarat Titans, on May 21.
Form guide
(Last five matches, most recent first)
Royal Challengers Bangalore: WWLWL
Kolkata Knight Riders: LLLLW
Team news: Hazlewood still a doubt for RCB
ESPNcricinfo understands that Josh Hazlewood is likely to sit out one more game before returning to action. If Hazlewood hasn't recovered sufficiently from injury, David Willey will start again on Wednesday.
Toss and Impact Player strategy
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Du Plessis is also nursing a rib injury, and could once again be used as an Impact Player option by RCB. If they bat first, he could be subbed out for seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak or legspinner Karn Sharma after his batting shift.
Possible XII: 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Mahipal Lomror, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Suyash Prabhudessai, 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 David Willey, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Vijaykumar Vyshak/Karn Sharma
Kolkata Knight Riders
Jason Roy, who didn't open the batting against Super Kings at Eden Gardens after having hurt himself in the field, is set to return to the top. Thakur bowled at full tilt at the nets on the eve of the game, but it remains to be seen if he's available for selection. Meanwhile, KKR's use of the Impact Player rule has had a fairly consistent pattern with wristspinner Suyash Sharma starting if they bowl first, or Venkatesh Iyer starting if they bat first.
Possible XII: 1 Jason Roy, 2 N Jagadeesan (wk), 3 Venkatesh Iyer, 4 Nitish Rana (capt), 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 David Wiese/Lockie Ferguson/Tim Southee, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Kulwant Khejroliya/Vaibhav Arora, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Suyash Sharma
Stats that matter
There's a case for KKR to match Sunil Narine up with du Plessis in the powerplay. The spinner has kept him to 47 off 67 balls while dismissing him twice in all T20s. Kohli has also struggled to get Narine away in T20 cricket: 137 runs off 141 balls while being dismissed four times.
Umesh Yadav has a strong head-to-head record against Maxwell in T20s, getting him four times in seven innings while giving up only 31 runs off 28 balls.
A total of 102 sixes have been hit at the Chinnaswamy in IPL 2023, the highest at a venue so far this season.
Pitch and conditions
Another easy-paced hit-through-the-line Chinnaswamy track is on the cards. The ball could swing early in the evening, especially if the overhead conditions are cloudy, and skid onto the bat later under lights.
Quotes
"If you take any game in the IPL for granted, that's a big risk… what's happened in the past is irrelevant tomorrow from 7.30pm."
RCB director of cricket Mike Hesson is not taking KKR lightly despite their winless run
"The guys are out there training now, working their hardest to be the best version of themselves. There's no rhyme or reason behind it."
Jason Roy says KKR's batting struggles are not due to a lack of hard work
