Triumphant Kolkata begin home campaign

Match facts

Big Picture

Royal Challengers Bangalore are one of the most improved teams in the IPL. They were called, unkindly but perhaps not undeservedly, a 'Test team' in 2008. The results didn't prove otherwise. They made big-buck signings for 2009 and turned around a miserable start to the season to reach the finals. They weren't big spenders in 2010 but made smart buys and are among the favourites to reach the semi-finals this year. At full strength, Bangalore's batting line-up has innovative batsmen capable of scoring in unusual areas, as well as seasoned players capable of tailoring their approach to varying demands. The energetic and evolved Indian contingent gives the line-up balance.

Anil Kumble wrote in his newspaper column that while things unfold quickly in the IPL, they also happen slowly. He meant that while each match unfolds at rapid pace, a team's campaign progresses slowly over several weeks so it would take consistency to maintain the intensity and momentum necessary to reach the semi-finals. As opening matches of campaigns go, Bangalore have one of the most intimidating, against Kolkata Knight Riders at a fiercely partisan Eden Gardens.

Kolkata are returning home triumphant after beating Deccan Chargers in the first game of the season in Mumbai. They started disastrously with both bat and ball but recovered to pull off a win that will help the ghosts of IPLs past seem less scary and more distant. And they are returning to the one venue in India where the loudest cheer hasn't been for Sachin Tendulkar. When Ganguly leads his Knight Riders on the field for the first time at Eden in 2010, he will be boosted by his 12th man - the tens of thousands of faithful roaring for their reinstated captain and his charges. It's the perfect stage for Kolkata to string together a second consecutive win.

Team talk

On Friday, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher were in Port Elizabeth, leading the Warriors to victory in the Pro20 final. Several hours later, they were on a plane heading for India, due to arrive in Kolkata on Saturday night. Jet-lag and fatigue levels permitting, they could be part of Bangalore's starting XI but it's 50-50 at the moment. Their arrivals complete the South African contingent, which also includes Dale Steyn, Roelof van der Merwe, and Dillon du Preez. Apart from the Proteas, the only overseas player with Bangalore at the moment is Eoin Morgan, who is a certainty in the middle order. Kevin Pietersen will arrive after the Bangladesh Tests, Ross Taylor and Steven Smith after the Trans-Tasman Trophy, and Cameron White after the Sheffield Shield final.

Foreign ammunition aside, Bangalore have proven Indian performers in their ranks. Kumble and Rahul Dravid will be the corner stones of the bowling and batting, while the likes of Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, Robin Uthappa and Praveen Kumar can also pull their weight.

Bangalore: (likely) 1 Jacques Kallis, 2 Robin Uthappa, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Manish Pandey, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Roelof van der Merwe, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Anil Kumble (capt), 11 R Vinay Kumar.

Kolkata did not practise on Saturday, opting for much-needed rest on the day between two matches and travel. They didn't play Ajit Agarkar because of a calf strain and, if he doesn't recover, they could field the same XI once again. Kolkata will strive for another win with a less-than-full-strength squad, knowing that reinforcements will be on the way shortly. Shane Bond has finished his New Zealand duties for the summer and will arrive in time for the third game. Chris Gayle, who tweeted his delight at Kolkata's win, has only one more ODI against Zimbabwe, and David Hussey will get here along with White after the Sheffield Shield final. They'll have to wait until the end of March for Brendon McCullum.

Kolkata(likely) : 1 Manoj Tiwary, 2 Brad Hodge, 3 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 4 Cheteshwar Pujara, 5 Owais Shah, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 Laxmi Ratan Shukla, 9 Murali Kartik, 10 Charl Langeveldt, 11 Ishant Sharma.

Previously…

In 2008, Bangalore were annihilated by McCullum in the opening game of the IPL and went down by 140 runs. In the second game at Eden Gardens, Kolkata prevailed once again, by five wickets. Bangalore won both matches against Kolkata in 2009, by five and six wickets, in the final over.

In the spotlight

Eoin Morgan: Reverse-sweeps and pulls, shots powered with exaggerated bottom hand, enterprise, and a cool head under red hair. Bangalore acquired all of these qualities when they picked up Morgan for $220,000 in the auction. Like Owais Shah who launched his IPL career successfully on Friday, Morgan has a few weeks to prove he deserves a place in the XI even after Pietersen, White and Taylor arrive.

Charl Langeveldt v his countrymen: Bangalore have five South Africans in their squad. Six if you count Ray Jennings too. Langeveldt will be able to provide Kolkata with insight into their modus operandi. And vice versa. Langeveldt accounted for the sole South African in Deccan's line-up, dismissing Gibbs. How many can he take out tomorrow?

Prime numbers

• Kolkata were found to be three overs behind the over-rate at the end of their opening match. That indiscretion cost their captain Ganguly a cool $20,000. A small price to pay for victory, perhaps, but he'd rather put that cash to better uses.

• Jacques Kallis was Bangalore's best batsman last season, with 361 runs at a strike-rate of 109.

• Kumble was the second highest wicket-taker of the 2009 tournament with 21 scalps at an economy of 5.86 an over.

• Angelo Mathews' unbeaten 65 against Deccan was his best performance in a Twenty20 match.

Chatter

"You might go in between the first or fifth over, but again you might go in the 16th over. You can never really say what can be the role of a batsman in this format."
Rahul Dravid on the challenges of batting in Twenty20s.