KXIP, Rajasthan Royals look to regain winning momentum

INDORE: Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals will look to get their campaign back on track when they face-off in the IPL at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday.

While KXIP have five wins and three defeats after a strong start, RR, winners of IPL 2008, are struggling in their chase for a playoff berth, after three victories and five losses. Both teams are coming off two straight defeats. KXIP lost to Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad while RR lost to Delhi Daredevils as well as Kane Williamson’s side.

Against SRH last month, KXIP openers Chris Gayle and KL Rahul had put on a 55-run stand in chasing 132 but the middle-order comprising Karun Nair, Aaron Finch and Manoj Tiwary failed to finish the job as KXIP lost by 13 runs. Same was the case on Friday. With Gayle scoring a fifty, the stage was set for KXIP’s middle-order to fire against MI. But they failed again.

Yuvraj Singh, who was dropped for the SRH game after a string of low scores in the first six games, managed just 14. Karun Nair, who has had a decent run so far with a couple of half tons, got a start but couldn’t capitalise. The idea to promote Axar Patel ahead of Marcus Stoinis was baffling given how dangerous the Aussie can be in death overs.

However, KXIP skipper R Ashwin backed the likes of Yuvraj and Finch to fire in the remaining matches. “The middle-order has been a bit shaky but it’s important to have faith in them. We believe they are the ones (Yuvi, Finch) who are going to finish the games for us,” he said after the game against MI.

Ashwin admitted KXIP haven’t fielded well and that’s one area he is concerned about. “We haven’t been great... we did leak around 8-10 runs (vs MI) but the boys are working hard. We need to lift ourselves up.”