Moneyball9 Fantasy Tips: Gujarat Lions vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Another game involving so many superstars awaits us as Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders clash in an important tie. Unlike the RCB-Kings XI match, where one had to struggle to pick the best players with less money, tomorrow’s contest will not feature Andre Russell in it as the West Indian is out with an injury. This gives the users an opportunity to gamble with a player not many would be picking. Here’s an analysis of the players from both sides:

Batsmen:

Gautam Gambhir’s sheer consistency this season should put him right on top of your shopping list. What Gambhir can offer for sure is decent points considering he doesn’t take too many risks while batting. The fact that he will cost only 7000 rupees is another added advantage. Manish Pandey is slowly finding his touch and was looking good in his side’s last game, so adding him to your squad can make it stronger.

Suresh Raina hasn’t really set the stage on fire yet again this season and picking him would be a big gamble. But with plenty of money in the bag, it is a risk that some would prefer taking. Brendon McCullum, on the other hand, is a game changer and could well prove to the game changer on your fantasy as well. The Knight Riders will probably look to stifle him early with spin but spending 8500 for him can also turn to be a blessing in disguise because of the damage he can inflict.

Guys like Aaron Finch and Yusuf Pathan are coming only at the end facing less number of deliveries and hence having them won’t make much sense. But they have both been amongst the runs as well this season. Ideally, on a flat deck, it is better to avoid them both as the top order batsmen would face the bulk of the bowling.

Wicket-keeper batsman:

Robin Uthappa’s flashy brilliance or Dinesh Karthik’s calmness? Go for the latter as Karthik will prove to be handy against the Knight Riders spinners as that is his strength. Karthik’s form this season should also give him the nod ahead of the 2014 Orange cap holder, who has been struggling for runs in his side’s last three matches despite doing well intially. Realistically, the wicket-keeper slot doesn’t have any other contender.

Bowlers:

With a little bit of mystery surrounding the Kanpur track since this is going to be the first ever IPL game held at the venue, choosing the right set of bowlers is going to be a hard task. Not many people would choose Praveen Kumar but he could in the end turn out to be a worthy pick. If he can find some swing with the new ball, he is bound to trouble both Gambhir and Uthappa and he has also improved his death bowling skills off late. Russell’s injury can prove to be a huge factor here.

Shivil Kaushik’s ‘mystery’ is something Gambhir and his men would be wary of before the game. More than half of the batting order haven’t faced him before which could work in your advantage. He will also cost only 3000 rupees. So that’s another bargain buy! Considering McCullum and Dwayne Smith’s weaknesses against classical spin, a leggie like Piyush Chawla can give the Knight Riders a distinct advantage especially if the track starts to get some turn.

With money not being a huge factor so far, Sunil Narine is another option to be considered for the user despite him costing 7500 rupees. One would expect only Dinesh Karthik to read Narine’s deliveries from the Lions top five batsmen, so the bowler can actually manage to run riot.

All-rounders:

Andre Russell’s absence has thrown up some interesting names into the mix for this crucial slot which could determine your fate in the game. The natural replacement would be Dwayne Bravo but he costs 10,000 bucks and hasn’t been effective this season. With the bat, he is yet to contribute in a significant manner. If the pitch is a rank turner, then one among Ravindra Jadeja and Shakib Al Hasan would make an ideal choice else it is safe to go with Jason Holder, who is expected to fill in for Russell.

My ideal team:

Gautam Gambhir, Brendon McCullum, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Jason Holder, Piyush Chawla, Praveen Kumar, Sunil Narine and Shivil Kaushik.

DISCLAIMER: The article just contains suggestions and Sportskeeda are not responsible or liable for the outcome.