Matheesha Pathirana (Source: AFP)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are hosting Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match no. 28 of the ongoing IPL 2026 at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, with KKR desperately searching for their first win of the season.
Led by Ajinkya Rahane, the Kolkata Knight Riders have had a nightmare campaign so far. The team has failed to win a single match in six outings, including one abandoned game. With no points on the table, KKR are already on the brink of an early exit from the playoff race.
KKR vs RR's tournament so far in IPL 2026
For KKR, this match is nothing short of a do-or-die situation. Playing at home could give them some advantage, but they will need a complete team effort to challenge Riyan Parag's Rajasthan Royals.
On the other hand, the Rajasthan Royals have been one of the standout teams this season. They have won four of their five matches and are currently in third place on the IPL 2026 points table.
The RR's batting lineup looks strong, featuring promising young talent like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has grabbed attention with his fearless stroke play.
Rajasthan's bowling attack also looks well-settled, led by experienced pacer Jofra Archer and spinner Ravi Bishnoi.
Also Read: IPL 2026: KKR vs RR Prediction, Match 28- Who Will Win Today?
So, as the fans are excited for the the KKR vs RR match, in this article, let's take a look at the toss update and the playing XI's of Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.
KKR vs RR IPL 2026: Playing XIs
Toss Update: Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bat first.
Rajasthan Royals Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi
Kolkata Knight Riders Playing XI : Tim Seifert (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (c), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh (vc), Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy
Talking about the changes in the playing XI, Kolkata have made no changes and are going with the same team that played the last match.
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On the other side, RR have made two changes: Shimron Hetmyer and Brijesh Sharma are included in place of Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Tushar Deshpande.
KKR vs RR IPL 2026: Captains Thoughts
Riyan Parag (Rajasthan Royals Captain): "We are batting first. Looks like a pretty dry wicket to me. The grass was cut yesterday. Hoping for some turn in the first innings and then some more in the 2nd as well.
[on the conditions] Last year we fell short but the amount of turn Varun and Narine extracted last year, if it happens today as well. We have quality spinners in our lineup.
[on the strategies] Win or lose our strategies remain same. We always try and look at the mistakes we have made and try and see what we can do better. Lots of learnings from the last game.
[team news] Hetmyer comes back in. Lhuan-dre steps out. Tushar Deshpande gets a rest and Brijesh Sharma comes in."
Ajinkya Rahane (Kolkata Knight Riders Captain): "[On what he would have done] We were looking to bat first as well. Basically, just wanted to, as I said in the last game as well, batters need to bat with freedom with the kind of situation we are in at the moment. We want all the batters to bat freely. Bowling unit is doing well. In the last three games in the end and middle overs they have done well but happy to lose the toss.
[Message to his team] See, the thing is we have lived the past, we don't know what the future will hold, all we have is this moment. Giving our best and focusing on controllables. When you lose games, you try to overthink. Boys have prepared well, they are in good mindset. Results can go either way but it is about being in this moment and playing with freedom.
[Team News] We are going with the same team."
KKR vs RR IPL 2026: Impact Subs
Kolkata Knight Riders: Manish Pandey, Finn Allen, Navdeep Saini, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Tejasvi Dahiya
Rajasthan Royals: Shubham Dubey, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Singh, Yash Raj Punja, Lhuan-dre Pretorius
Why is Matheesha Pathirana not playing in KKR vs RR match?
It is important to mention that despite joining the KKR camp, the star bowler Matheesha Pathirana has not been included in KKR's playing XI vs RR.
He came directly from Colombo after getting clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket. Earlier reports said that he is unlikely to play in today’s KKR vs RR match. The team's medical staff will first check his fitness in the next few training sessions before deciding. They do not want to rush him into playing so soon after his arrival.
There is a good chance that Matheesha Pathirana could play in KKR's next match against LSG on April 26.
Pathirana, who was earlier with CSK, was bought by KKR for ₹18 crore in the IPL 2026. He had been out of action after suffering a calf injury during Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.
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