In his first match as captain, Glenn Maxwell led Kings XI Punjab to victory over Rising Pune Supergiant. After defeating the current Australian captain in Steve Smith in his side's opening game of IPL 2017, he will look to defeat another Australian in Shane Watson as Kings XI take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in Indore on Monday (April 10).
An impressive bowling performance coupled with Maxwell's blitzkrieg got Kings XI over the line in their opener and they will look to keep their momentum going against RCB.
In the 8th match of IPL 2017, Kings XI Punjab take on Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. Here is the possible playing XI for Kings XI –
Extra Cover: IPL 2017 KXIP vs RCB: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) probable playing XI against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP)
Openers
Hashim Amla opened the innings against Rising Pune Supergiant with Martin Guptill and Murali currently injured. The South African scored a run-a-ball 28 and got his side off to a brisk start in their chase. Although he is usually stereotyped as a Test player, he has time and again proven that he is good across all formats and will keep his place against RCB.
Manan Vohra was Amla's opening partner and the talented batsman once again got off to a good start but was unable to convert it. That has been an issue with Vohra but he has plenty of promise and as he showed in IPL 2016, it is only a matter of time before he gets going and when he does, it puts his side in great stead.
Middle-order
Wriddhiman Saha may not feature in India's limited-overs squad but he is arguably one of the first names in the Kings XI side. Consistent performances coupled with his ability to be creative makes him a valuable asset, as does the fact that he can bat anywhere in the middle order that allows for greater flexibility.
Glenn Maxwell was playing in his first game as captain and if there were any nerves then the Australian certainly did well to hide it as he looked in complete control both on the field and with the bat. Much of Kings XI's success in IPL 2017 will depend on Maxwell and his 20-ball 44 is the ideal start he could have had to the tenth edition of the IPL
David Miller is one of those rare modern-day middle-order batsman who is in the side purely for his batting. While several players can turn their arm over, Miller is in the side as a pure batsman and is an incredible fielder as well. The South African enjoyed a solid start as he was part of the unbeaten partnership with Maxwell that saw them home and he will be looking to keep that going.
All-rounders
Marcus Stoinis was hardly a household name before he turned up for Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2016 and since then he has grown into an integral part of the side's set-up. Not only is he a versatile batsman who can both open and finish the innings, but he is also a more than handy medium pacer who has the knack of picking up crucial wickets as he showed in the opener against RPS in which he got rid of the in-form Steve Smith.
Axar Patel is the side's premier all-rounder and although injury has meant he has played for Indian in the last few series, he is deadly in the IPL. Economical with his left-arm spin and capable of clearing the fence with ease while also being a fabulous fielder, Axar Patel certainly ticks all the boxes and continues to be important to Kings XI's chances of their maiden IPL title.
Follow Live: IPL Live Score: Kings XI Punjab vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Spinner
Swapnil Singh might not be a name that immediately jumps at you, but the spinner is a wily customer who is the side due to consistent performances in the domestic circuit. Although he bowled just two overs in the opener, he picked up a wicket as well and is unlikely to lose his place for the second game against RCB.
Seamers
Mohit Sharma may no longer be part of India's limited-over set-up but his incredible box of tricks make him a must-have in T20s. Not only can he nail his yorkers at the death, he has also shown he has quite a few slower balls at his disposal which can deceive the batsman and get his side crucial wickets.
Sandeep Sharma is the ideal bowler that you would want in a T20 side. Not only can he swing the new ball but he is also equally effective at the death overs, with his yorkers as he shown throughout his IPL career. He may not be the leader of the bowling attack but he is someone the captain has always called on when wickets are neccessary.
Thangarasu Natarajan was a revelation in the inaugural Tamil Nadu Premier League with his yorkers and an action that bares an eerie resemblance to Mustafizur Rahman. Unsurprisingly, he was picked up for big money by Kings XI and the Tamil Nadu seamer made an immediate impact by taking a wicket off his second ball in the IPL. He provides an option at the death overs with his incredible accuracy should one of the others get hit on the day.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
