Punjab Kings opt to bat first as Iyer looks to regain lost ground vs KKR

A beleaguered Punjab Kings side will be hoping to regroup and recover after being blown away in their previous encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad, as they take the field with the bat first against Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday.

KKR made one change to their playing XI, bringing in pacer Anrich Nortje in place of spin all-rounder Moeen Ali, while PBKS have handed a debut to Australian pacer Xavier Bartlett.

It’s not often that a team ends up on the losing side after posting a colossal total of 245, but Punjab had to endure an agonizing defeat, courtesy of Abhishek’s breathtaking knock of 141 off just 55 deliveries. The blitzkrieg left their bowlers in tatters and stunned the cricketing world.

Even Shreyas Iyer, who played a sublime innings of 82 off just 36 balls, was left chuckling in disbelief as he watched his bowling unit unravel against Abhishek’s onslaught. The carnage unfolded on the batting paradise of Hyderabad`s Uppal Stadium, often compared to a ‘national highway’ where no score is safe.

Punjab now returns to their home turf in Mullanpur, where conditions have also favored batters. The pitch here has already witnessed multiple 200-plus first innings scores, posing a significant dilemma for the Punjab think tank: Should they continue to back flat, batter-friendly pitches despite their vulnerable bowling attack?

Confidence within the bowling unit, especially among spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Glenn Maxwell, must be shaken. The pair conceded a combined 96 runs in just seven overs in the previous game. And herein lies Punjab’s conundrum.

Opting for another flat surface could backfire, particularly against a KKR side boasting aggressive firepower in Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, and Venkatesh Iyer. KKR also possess the versatile Varun Chakravarthy, arguably India’s most improved T20 spinner, who thrives on these very surfaces. Even a seasoned Narine, though past his peak, remains a potent threat on slower tracks.

KKR have proven themselves equally dangerous on both belting tracks and spin-friendly pitches. Their crushing win over Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk will only have further boosted their momentum.

Punjab’s batting, meanwhile, leans heavily on skipper Shreyas Iyer, who has racked up 250 runs, including three half-centuries in five outings. Youngster Priyansh Arya has emerged as the revelation of the season with 194 runs, while Nehal Wadhera (141 runs), Prabhsimran Singh (133), and finisher Shashank Singh (108) add stability and depth to the lineup.