3 Reasons why KKR will win the Eliminator

After nail-biting competition over the last two months, the IPL has moved to its last stage where the final four teams are just a few steps away from the ultimate honour.

CSK, RR, KKR and SRH all have deservedly entered the playoffs round after battling quality opposition. After the first qualifier between Chennai and Hyderabad is the Eliminator between Rajasthan and Kolkata. The Eliminator is the first knockout game of the tournament and defeat at this stage is a one-way ticket to home for the loser.

Both teams have enough ammunition and talent in their ranks to gain a spot at Eden Gardens for Qualifier 2, but many pundits predict KKR to take the win and advance to the second qualifier.

Here are three reasons why KKR can win the match

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#1 It's at the Eden Gardens

Eden Gardens is a fortress for KKR

There could not have been a better stadium for the Knight Riders to play the eliminator match. The Knights have a fantastic record at the venue over the years and have made the stadium their den.

The spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla know this pitch like the back of their hands, and the trio will be the toughest acid test for the Rajasthan batting, which has already shown signs of weakness in the group stages.

Rajasthan Royals has a dismal record at this venue having last won a tie here during the inaugural edition of the IPL and followed it with five straight defeats, including a six-wicket hammering earlier this season.

#2 RR's loss of Buttler

Buttler was magnificent for Rajasthan

Many players have played a pivotal role in Rajasthan's journey to the playoffs this year, but none can claim to be more deserving of an applause than their English superstar Joss Buttler. After some initial hiccups, the move to send him at the top of the order paid rich dividends as he slammed five consecutive fifties - a feat earlier recorded only by Virender Sehwag in 2012 - to send his team to the playoffs.

But his inclusion in the English Test team for their international commitments have put a major spanner in the works for Rajasthan. Buttler's absence will be a huge factor as Rahane and Tripathi have only sparkled in flashes and struggled for consistency at the top of the order.

#3 Balance in KKR's batting order

Russell is a big part of settled KKR Batting

While Rajasthan has relied heavily on Buttler, KKR's batsmen have shared their duties throughout IPL. Unlike their rivals, no single batsman has been a stand out performer instead everyone has chipped in with significant contributions as evident by the fact that six KKR batsmen have scored more than 250 runs during this tournament, as opposed to only three batsmen in the Rajasthan Royals line-up.

In a pressure game like an eliminator, this can prove to be a luxury as no single batsman is under a lot of pressure because he can bank on his teammates. A deep batting line-up is a big plus while chasing scores under pressure in a knockout game.

The likes of Nitish Rana, Russell, and Karthik have all chipped in during the group stages to take the team past the finish line and have the experience to do it again, unlike the Buttler-reliant Rajasthan team.