IPL 2018: KKR will look to blunt DD's Gambhir's effect at Eden Gardens

Not in fine fettle after facing two successive defeats, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be forced to travel down memory lane as they welcome their most successful captain Gautam Gambhir, who is now in the opposite camp. In Indian Premier League (IPL 2018), Gambhir is in charge of Delhi Daredevils (DD), against whom KKR will be playing their match today at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Delhi Daredevils will look to climb up the Vivo IPL points table, while Kolkata Knight Riders will be keen to arrest their own slide. For this, KKR will have to do a lot of soul-searching first and organise their batting better.

Gambhir helped KKR win titles in 2012 and 2014 before moving to his hometown franchise Delhi Daredevils for IPL 2018. Kolkata Knight Riders handed over the captaincy to Dinesh Karthik, who has so far looked out of sorts in the last two games, where KKR finished second best to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Kolkata had made a winning start to their campaign against Royals Challenger Bangalore at Eden Gardens but successive defeats next two matches have put them in a spot of bother. There is no denying that Kolkata Knight Riders have issues with their combination and having the smallest squad in the competition isn’t helping them too. The batting position of Sunil Narine has a big impact on the rest of the line-up. Narine has been successful at the top for Shahrukh's team, and it will be best for KKR to ask him to open the innings. The U-19 world cup star Shubman Gill was wasted in the lower middle order against Sunrishers Hyderabad and KKR must look to move him up the batting order so that they can utilise his talent.