IPL 2020, RR vs KKR: Player Ratings

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) handed Steve Smith's Rajasthan Royals (RR) their first loss in this edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) in Dubai.

An all-round team performance saw the 2-time IPL champions register a 37-run win, which is their second victory on the trot. Good innings from Shubman Gill and Eoin Morgan were complemented by excellent bowling performances from Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti.

Here are the player ratings from the RR vs KKR IPL 2020 game.

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IPL 2020, RR vs KKR: RR Player Ratings

Samson failed for the first time in IPL 2020 [PC: iplt20.com]

Jos Buttler: 5.5/10

Buttler showed signs of finding form during his 16-ball 21, with an audacious shot off Pat Cummins the highlight of his innings. The Englishman was perhaps a touch unlucky to be caught at short third-man off Mavi, but he needs to get back to his dominant best if RR are to get back to winning ways.

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Steve Smith: 2/10

Smith had a nightmare innings today, as he was troubled by Cummins for some time before nicking one behind to keeper Dinesh Karthik. The RR captain opening the batting had worked for the team till this game, but it might be time for him to drop down and shore up the weak middle order.

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Sanju Samson: 4/10

Samson's first failure of IPL 2020 coincided with RR's first defeat, and to be honest, this was no coincidence. The Kerala batsman played a couple of gorgeous strokes, but played an ill-advised pull to be caught on the circle. He took a good catch in the outfield, though.

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Robin Uthappa: 1/10

Uthappa has looked woeful in IPL 2020, and his place in the team is under serious question despite the fact that RR are short of middle-order batsmen. He hasn't looked assured while not opening the innings, and needs to put in a good performance at the earliest. The former Kolkata Knight Riders man has also been a liability in the field.

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Riyan Parag: 2/10

Parag had another poor game, cutting Kamlesh Nagarkoti straight to Shubman Gill at backward point. The young all-rounder rolled his arm over for the first time in IPL 2020, and conceded 14 runs. He isn't contributing much to the team this season, and looks a shadow of his IPL 2019 self.

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Rahul Tewatia: 6/10

Tewatia couldn't replicate his heroics from the previous game against Kings XI Punjab, as he was castled for just 14 runs. The 27-year-old had only one over to bowl in this game, and picked up 1 wicket while conceding 6 runs.

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Jofra Archer: 8.5/10

Archer was absolutely incredible with the ball against KKR, bowling in the early 150s and being extremely accurate with his lines and lengths. The Englishman scalped 2 wickets and would've had a third if not for a dropped catch, but really should've stayed at the crease longer while batting.

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Tom Curran: 7/10

Curran conceded 37 runs in his 4 overs while picking up 1 wicket, and was decent at the death. The Englishman was the top-scorer in this game, with his unbeaten fifty acting as a saving grace for RR. He dropped Eoin Morgan's catch on the boundary off the final ball of Archer's spell, and the KKR total would've been lower had he hung on to it.

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Shreyas Gopal: 3/10

Gopal was superb in IPL 2019 as he picked up a bagful of wickets, but he's struggling to replicate his performances from last year this season. The Karnataka leggie was taken apart by Andre Russell and Shubman Gill today, and his 4 overs are really costing RR.

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Jaydev Unadkat: 6.5/10

Unadkat had only two overs to bowl in this game, and he picked up the wicket of Sunil Narine. The left-armer will take confidence from this game, as he registered an economy rate of 7, which was significantly better than his recent IPL performances.

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Ankit Rajpoot: 6/10

Rajpoot did go for runs in this game as he finished with an economy rate of 9.75, but picked up the invaluable wicket of a dangerous-looking Andre Russell. The former Kings XI Punjab pacer did bowl a number of wides today, but he has contributed to the RR cause since being inducted into the playing XI.

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IPL 2020, RR vs KKR: KKR Player Ratings

Shivam Mavi got rid of Buttler and Samson [PC: iplt20.com]

Shubman Gill: 7/10

Gill held the KKR innings together once again as he played a mature 47-run knock. The young Indian batsmen is developing into a superstar rapidly, but couldn't reach a fifty today as he was dismissed off the potent Jofra Archer.

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Sunil Narine: 6/10

Although Narine hit 2 fours and 1 six today, the opening experiment isn't quite working for KKR. The West Indian was bowled by Unadkat for just 15, and was average at best with the ball, at least by his standards.

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Dinesh Karthik: 4/10

Karthik got an absolute peach from Jofra Archer that he couldn't have done much about, and walked back to the hut after making just 1 run. The wicket-keeper was excellent with his bowling changes and field placements yet again, and had a couple of good takes behind the stumps as well.

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Nitish Rana: 5.5/10

For the third game in a row, Nitish Rana got off to a good start but threw it away just as he seemed set for a big one. The southpaw is wasting the excellent form he seems to be in, and needs to start applying himself in the middle immediately.

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Eoin Morgan: 7/10

After a scratchy start to his innings, Eoin Morgan played a brisk cameo at the end of the KKR innings to take them to an above-par total of 174/6. The English white-ball captain is showing signs of getting back to form, which is encouraging for a KKR side that is one batsman short.

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Andre Russell: 6/10

For the first time in IPL 2020, Russell showed how destructive he can be, but fell victim to a clever ploy by Steve Smith and Ankit Rajpoot. The West Indian's ideal batting position is yet to be determined, and he wasn't required to bowl in this game.

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Varun Chakravarthy: 7.5/10

It was another good performance from Chakravarthy, who took 2 wickets and conceded just 25 runs in his 4 overs. The mystery spinner seems confident and in good form, which augurs well for KKR in IPL 2020.

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Pat Cummins: 8/10

Cummins bowled another fiery spell in the powerplay as he tormented his countryman Smith before dismissing him. The Aussie pacer had a nightmare outing in the first game, but he has followed it up with a couple of world-class performances.

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Shivam Mavi: 8.5/10

Mavi was superb on the night as he got rid of Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson with a couple of pacy back-of-a-length deliveries. The young pacer bowled with aggression and fire, and took a good catch as well.

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Kuldeep Yadav: 5.5/10

Kuldeep was brought into the attack very late in the game, and although he scalped the wicket of Jaydev Unadkat with a long hop, he was perhaps the worst of the KKR bowlers. The wrist-spinner seems like the weak link in the KKR bowling lineup, and his form will be a worry for the side.

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Kamlesh Nagarkoti: 9/10

Nagarkoti was superb today as he picked up his first IPL wicket - Robin Uthappa - and followed it up with the scalp of Riyan Parag. The youngster took 2 excellent catches and even contributed some handy runs with the bat at the end of the KKR innings.

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