IPL 2017 Match 30, RPS vs KKR: Gambhir and Uthappa Take the Knights On Top Of The Tally

IPL 2017 Match 30, RPS vs KKR: Visitors register an easy yet thrilling 7-wicket win.

IPL 2017 is turning out to be a tournament like never seen before, with tables being turned suddenly and no score being treated as impossible. Although we have seen bowlers getting the better of the men with blades, RPS vs KKR Match 30 was all about the smashing the Kookaburra holders.

When Kolkata Knight Riders opted to bowl first, it clearly showed that the pitch at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune was not going to help the bowlers in the second innings and whatever target Rising Pune Supergiants are going to give, it was never going to be an easily defendable one.

However, RPS did fairly well with Ajinkya Rahane (46 off 41) and Rahul Tripathi (38 off 23) giving a steady yet frenetic start in the first innings, followed by Smith’s return among runs (51* off 37) and MS Dhoni’s (23 off 11) short yet substantial innings.

By the end of RPS’ innings, 183 runs were what Kolkata Knight Riders had to make in order to climb the IPL 2017 tally for the numero uno position and that is what they did. Sunil Narine (16 off 11) did what he is expected to and went back to the dressing room after hitting a couple of boundaries, and in came Robin Uthappa to partner with Gautam Gambhir.

A partnership of 158 runs between Uthappa (87 off 47) and Gambhir (62 off 46) clearly demolished the Rising Pune Supergiants’ bowling attack as they smashed seven boundaries, six sixes and six boundaries and one six, respectively.

While Gautam Gambhir was at his brilliant best, it was Robin Uthappa’s innings that won the match fo Kolkata Knight riders.

Relive his match-winning innings here

Moreover, Robin Uthappa was exceptional behind the stumps too and that left many comparing him to the man himself, MS Dhoni.

Watch three lighting quick stumps here, even MS Dhoni was one of his preys!!

And now the benchmark. The man, the legend, MS Dhoni.

What are your thoughts on this new debate, whether Uthappa has bettered MSD or is he still a long way from there?

P.S This was one of the best high-scoring matches in IPL 2017, KKR did the unexpected, but RPS deserves the credit too.