KKR v RCB, IPL 2021: Today match players list & umpires

The second leg of IPL 2021 will unfurl in Abu Dhabi for the first time with the clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

KKR are struggling at the seventh spot in the table while RCB are third on the back of a fruitful first phase in India.

KKR v RCB: Who won the toss in today's IPL match

Virat Kohli, sporting a special blue jersey dedicated to frontline workers, won the toss for the RCB and opted to bat first in conditions that are expected to be hot and humid, especially in the first innings. He expects the pitch to slow down as the innings progresses as well.

The three-time finalists announced debuts for two players, namely KS Bharat and Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga. Bharat, a wicketkeeper-batter, was in fine nick during the intra-squad simulation game with an unbeaten 96-run knock.

KKR skipper Eoin Morgan said the surface should remain the same across 40 overs and announced a debut cap for Venkatesh Iyer, the prospect the franchise was able to secure at the previous auction.

The two-time IPL winners opted to field Sunil Narine as the second spinner which meant that Shakib Al Hasan missed out.

KKR vs RCB - Today Match Playing XI

KKR Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan (C), Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Lockie Ferguson, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy

KKR Squad: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan(c), Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(w), Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Shakib Al Hasan, Ben Cutting, Karun Nair, Pawan Negi, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Sheldon Jackson, Sandeep Warrier, Tim Seifert, Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Vaibhav Arora

RCB Playing XI: Virat Kohli (C), Devdutt Padikkal, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, KS Bharat, Sachin Baby, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel

RCB Squad : Virat Kohli(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers(w), Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Daniel Christian, Dushmantha Chameera, Sachin Baby, Srikar Bharat, Navdeep Saini, Pavan Deshpande, Mohammed Azharuddeen, George Garton, Suyash Prabhudessai, Tim David, Akash Deep

KKR vs RCB - Today IPL Match umpire

On-field umpires: Chris Gaffaney, Sundaram Ravi

3rd Umpire: Virender Sharma