Big picture - KKR's home run
Which IPL team has their headquarters only six kilometres from Eden Gardens? If you're thinking Kolkata Knight Riders, that's wrong.
That honour belongs to Lucknow Super Giants, whose owners are based in Kolkata. They have a majority stake in another local team with a strong fan base - Mohun Bagan - and the last time they played at Eden Gardens, LSG turned out sporting that football team's iconic maroon, leaving local KKR fans split over who to root for.
In that sense, Kolkata is LSG's home away from home, and they have enjoyed a 3-0 streak against KKR. Their last two victories, by two runs and one run, cemented this fixture as a rivalry worth earmarking for the future. Even now it takes special prominence when you factor in the presence of Gautam Gambhir - LSG's mentor in 2022 and 2023 - returning to KKR ahead of this season.
Off-field developments aside, LSG are in a good space with their six points in five games. Despite losing to Delhi Capitals on Friday, they are still in the top four on the points table and would be pleased with the coolness shown by Ayush Badoni and Arshad Khan to drag the side from an insipid 94 for 7 to a final score of 167. Their only real concern is Devdutt Padikkal's form; he has scored only 25 runs in five games.
KKR had their first defeat of the season in their previous game, against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai. But like LSG, KKR are also in a comfortable position, just two points behind table-toppers Rajasthan Royals and with a game in hand. In the first leg of the schedule, they had three away games and won two of those. The quirk of scheduling in an election year now sees them based at home for their next five fixtures, which means, if they can exert dominance at home the way CSK, Mumbai Indians or Gujarat Titans do, they could have one foot in the playoffs by the end of it.
