IPL 2021 has started on a brilliant note. There have already been quite a few games that have gone down the wire. All the teams have played at least one game each. Batsmen and bowlers have left their stamp on the IPL. Mumbai and Chennai have hosted all the 18 completed games till now. Mumbai has witnessed high-scoring matches while Chennai has produced low-scoring thrillers.
Challenge for teams:
IPL 2021 has done away with the concept of home and away. All teams are required to play in neutral venues. This has negated the curated strength of the squad to a certain extent. Despite all odds, few players have put in striking performances. Few such players must have gone unsold in the fantasy auctions earlier. It is time you make a note of such key players and include them in your StumpsandBails fantasy team.
IPL 2021: RR vs KKR preview
Rajasthan Royals fought till the very end in both their opening games. They narrowly lost against PK in their first game. RR valiantly stayed in the chase of a gargantuan total. They made amends in the second game against DC. Their tactic of taking pace off the ball worked wonderfully well. RR restricted DC to a below-par score of 147. They were struggling at one stage (42-5) chasing the total. Their foreign players, David Miller and Chris Morris bailed them out. But they came a cropper against CSK. RR were completely outplayed and this must have dented their confidence. Their bowling came short and their batting looked clueless. RCB trashed RR in their last game. RR lost by 10 wickets to RCB. It will be difficult for them to stage a comeback.
Kolkata Knight Riders are languishing at the bottom half of the points table. They made a solid start to the tournament defeating SRH in their opening game. But since then KKR have flattered to deceive. They lost a match against MI from a winning position. KKR failed to score 31 runs in the last 5 overs with 7 wickets in hand. Their bizarre tactics cost them the game against RCB. They conceded 204 runs on the Chennai strip. The score eventually proved to be way above par. KKR were 31-5 chasing 221 against CSK. They staged a wonderful counter-attack to come back in the game. But they eventually lost out since they kept losing wickets. KKR will take inspiration from the previous game to come out all guns blazing against RR in this game.
IPL 2021: Players to have in your StumpsandBails Fantasy Team
Shivam Dube:
Shivam Dube had a disappointing start to IPL 2021. He utilised precious deliveries that set RR back in a couple of games. But Dube finally seems to have got back his groove. He played a valuable knock against RCB. He scored an important 46 to lead RR to a respectable total. Dube is a vital cog in RR’s scheme of things. He is the glue that holds their innings together. RR will be expecting a consistent run from Dube. He is someone who needs to be in your fantasy team.
Varun Chakravarthy:
Varun Chakravarthy is a silver lining in KKR’s lineup. He has been Eoin Morgan’s go-to man. Chakravarthy bowls in the powerplay and even in the middle overs. He has delivered more often than not. Chakravarthy is miserly and keeps building pressure from one end. He broke open RCB’s top order only to be removed from the attack later. He is someone who will add value to your StumpsandBails fantasy team.
