5 players who could feature as Impact Players in match 9 between KKR vs RCB

KKR vs RCB (Image credit: Twitter)

The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) is underway and every team has played at least one match, so far. The 9th match of the tournament will be played between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore today (Thursday) on April 06 at the Eden Gardens stadium. KKR lost their first match by 7 runs in a rain-interrupted game, while RCB started their campaign with an eight-wicket win over Mumbai Indians.

The two teams have faced each other in 30 matches, so far, in IPL history, 16 of which were won by KKR and 14 by RCB. As the two teams are gearing up to lock horns, once again, in the cash-rich league, take a look at the probable playing XI.

KKR probable playing XI :

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Nitish Rana (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy

RCB probable playing XI:

Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Michael Bracewell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Karn Sharma, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, David Willey, Mohammed Siraj

Here is a list of five players who can feature as Impact Players in today's clash from both the teams

Kolkata Knight Rider's probable Impact Players

1. Suyash Sharma

Knight Riders, who already had Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy in their squad, have added another mysterious spinner this year in the form of Suyash Sharma. The franchise will be hoping that the 19-year-old can have the same impact on the team that the two experienced spinners have had, over the years.

The Delhi-born right-arm leg-spinner will be a good option for the team if they want to defend a difficult total against the quality RCB batters. His mystery spin along with two other wizards, Narine and Chakravarthy, can put pressure on opponents.

2. Vaibhav Arora

Vaibhav Arora, a right-arm pace bowler, could be another impact player for KKR in today's match. He has played at domestic level for Himachal Pradesh in first-class cricket, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy.

The 25-year-old can swing the ball in both directions, and his height allows him to extract sharp bouncers that could pose a threat to the opposition.

3. N Jagadeesan

Narayan Jagadeesan may not have had much of an impact in the IPL, but he is, currently, one of the top players in India's domestic cricket circuit. At a strike-rate of 125.38 and an average of 138.33, the 27-year-old smashed 830 runs in 8 matches in the last Vijay Hazare Trophy. The Tamil Nadu star scored 5 consecutive centuries, including a world record double hundred.

Jagadeesan could make an impact in their middle-order or even in the opening slot as KKR are a bit unbalanced after Shreyas Iyer's exit for the 2023 season.

4. Mandeep Singh

The right-handed batter was included in KKR's playing 11 for the previous game, but he was dismissed for 2 runs off 4 balls. His disappointing performance in the opening slot may prompt the management to open the door for last match's impact player Venkatesh Iyer, who scored 34 runs off 28 balls.

5. David Wiese

The South African-born Namibian cricketer could be an excellent choice as an impact player for KKR, as his experience playing in several franchise leagues around the world, over the years, can deliver match-winning performances for the team. David Wiese bats in the lower order for Namibia and is an excellent finisher. He can also contribute with his bowling skill and, thus, will be a good option for the team if the situation demands for it.

Royal Challengers Bangalore's probable Impact Players

Suyash Prabhudessai, Anuj Rawat, Avinash Singh, Mahipal Lomror, Siddarth Kaul

1. Suyash Prabhudessai

The 25-yeat-old, Prabhudessai could be an impact player option for RCB in today's clash. Known for his ability to pile up runs with quick strike-rate, the right-handed batter will be a great addition to Bangalore's line-up. He can also contribute with medium pace bowling and sharp fielding on the boundary line.

2. Anuj Rawat

Hailing from Uttarakhand, Anuj Rawat did not had a good outing for RCB in last IPL season. However, the franchise believed in the 23-year-old's potential and retained him for this year. The wicketkeeper batter was one of the impact players in their last match against MI and is likely to feature as the same in today's match.

3. Mahipal Lomror

His impressive performances for Rajasthan Royals at the tail end and his ability to smash over the ropes in pressure situations persuaded RCB to buy him at the auction. The left-hander can make an impact in the RCB team if they need someone to fire in the middle order or at the tail end. He can also contribute with left-arm orthodox bowling.

4. Siddarth Kaul

Siddarth Kaul, the experienced fast bowler, can be an impact player for RCB in today's match. The right-arm pacer has 58 scalps in his 55 IPL matches and at a decent economy rate of 8.63. He had a great season with Sunrisers Hyderabad before coming to RCB and has continued similar performances for his new team. The 32-year-old is capable of picking up crucial wickets and bowling in the death overs.

5. Sonu Yadav

The 23-year-old was an impact player for RCB in their last match and may play a similar role in today's clash. The all-rounder is yet to prove his mettle on the big stages but has proved what he is capable of in domestic cricket.