IPL 2024: Predicting 3 players who could pick up the most wickets in today's KKR vs RR match

It's the top-of-the-table clash in IPL 2024 on Tuesday, April 16. Both Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have lost just one match each and would now aim to deter the other from running away with a top-two spot in the points table.

Most of the focus would go on the power-packed batting line-ups but this match is more about the clash of the two best bowling line-ups in IPL 2024.

RR have perhaps the most well-balanced attack in the competition with a bowler for every match-up, situation, or condition. KKR, meanwhile, have a mix of experience and youth comprising highly versatile bowlers who shape themselves according to the situation. And both groups have managed to execute their skills to the T so far.

It's not easy to pick three with the highest probability of taking the most wickets in the game, but we have made an honest attempt:

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#3 Yuzvendra Chahal

The first man on the list has to be the Purple Cap holder of the season. Yuzvendra Chahal has been nothing short of fantastic for RR, picking up 11 wickets at an average of 14.82. He has played a massive role in RR's charge to the top by refining his variations, adding a bit of pace, and adapting to different grounds.

Chahal has happy memories of bowling at the Eden Gardens. The last time the leggie came here, in IPL 2023, he bowled one of his best spells of 4/25, completely flummoxing KKR at their home.

The big boundaries, some grip for the spinners, and a bit of extra bounce would support him against KKR's top and middle-order which is yet to be tested with a leg-spinner as good as him in IPL 2024.

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#2 Mitchell Starc

KKR's IPL-record signing looked back into his groove in the last match against the Lucknow Super Giants, where he picked up three wickets for just 28 runs.

The franchise's decision to give Mitchell Starc three overs upfront has reaped rewards as he has been able to adjust his lines and lengths according to the pitch and set batters up. His death bowling looked much sharper against LSG, too, and he landed a few of his unplayable yorkers in the 20th over.

Those are excellent signs before playing a team like RR. Due to a host of injuries in their line-up, RR don't have a settled batting line-up. They don't bat too deep either which could allow Starc to pick several wickets at the death.

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#1 Sunil Narine

There's no better man to get you wickets at the Eden than Sunil Narine. The off-spinner has 63 here in 54 matches at an average of 20 with a best of 5/19.

He's yet to go wicketless in IPL 2024. Although he has only picked up just one wicket in each game, his bowling has often warranted more but the fielders haven't supported him. In some matches, teams have also tried to play him out to take on the other bowlers but that's likely to change soon as the likes of Starc, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, and Varun Chakravarthy are all leveling up their game.

Like Starc, Narine would also put up a big test for the visiting team's shaky middle and lower orders, possibly getting him his best spell of IPL 2024.