Introduction
The present and the future of Indian cricket will be in action together when Bangalore takes on Kolkata in the Indian T20 League later this year. While Virat Kohli attracts eyeballs and support anywhere he goes, Shubman Gill is fast emerging as a fan favourite as well. With Kohli having singled Gill out for effusive praise, the young gun will be eager to perform in front of his national skipper in 2021. Gill did not have the most impressive outing in 2020, with his strike rate often coming up for criticism, and he will be eager to get going and stake a claim for a spot in the T20 World Cup that will be held later this year.
Bangalore will be high on confidence when they face Kolkata after getting the better of them on the last three occasions. Overall, the two sides have played each other 26 times in the Indian T20 domestic league, with Kolkata just edging ahead, with 14 wins against Bangalore’s 12.
Bangalore vs Kolkata – Head to Head Record in the Indian T20 league
| Matches | Bangalore | Kolkata | Tie/NR |
| 27 | 13 | 14 | 0/0 |
In the 2020 edition, Bangalore troubled Kolkata in both encounters. In the first game that was held in Sharjah, Bangalore managed a mammoth 194 for 2, led by an AB de Villiers blitzkrieg, in their 20 overs. In reply, Kolkata could only amass 112 for 9, handing Bangalore a huge win. In the reverse fixture, Kolkata could only score 84 for 8 in their 20 overs, which was easily chased down by Bangalore with 6.3 overs and eight wickets to spare.
Top 3 Performers Comparison and Stats
Though Bangalore is not the most consistent of teams, they have managed to trouble Kolkata of late. AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli, in particular, have been wreckers in chief, with the latter even scoring a hundred against the side at Eden Gardens in 2019. Kolkata, on the other hand, has not been able to live up to its reputation recently, with below-par showings against Bangalore.
We look at the top three performers from both teams (among active players) in the Indian T20 domestic league, which will help you select the best MPL team when the two teams face off against each other.
Batsmen (Bangalore):
| Batsmen | Runs v Kolkata |
| Virat Kohli | 730 |
| AB de Villiers | 511 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 417 |
Bowlers (Bangalore)
| Bowlers | Wickets v Kolkata |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 16 |
| Mohammad Siraj | 8 |
| Washington Sundar | 7 |
Batsmen (Kolkata)
| Batsmen | Runs v Bangalore |
| Dinesh Karthik | 421 |
| Andre Russell | 370 |
| Karun Nair | 232 |
Bowlers (Kolkata)
| Bowlers | Wickets v Bangalore |
| Harbhajan Singh | 23 |
| Sunil Narine | 16 |
| Andre Russell | 7 |
Bangalore vs Kolkata, Indian T20 League Schedule 2021
Kolkata will be eager to reverse the trend and get a win over Bangalore after losing the last three encounters against them in the Indian T20 domestic league. All three matches had seen Bangalore dominate Kolkata, and the Eoin Morgan-led side will be looking to pitch in with a stronger performance this year. Bangalore has added a number of exciting players to their squad this year, including big-hitter Glenn Maxwell, who has a great record against Kolkata, which makes it one of the marquee clashes of the season.
The two teams will play in Chennai and Ahmedabad this year, as no team is playing at their home venue in 2021. We take a look at the full schedule between Bangalore and Kolkata in the Indian T20 domestic league 2021.
| Date | Matches | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Sunday, 18 April, 2021 | Bangalore vs Kolkata | M A Chidambaram Stadium | 3.30 PM |
| Monday, 20 September, 2021 | Kolkata vs Bangalore | Abu Dhabi, UAE | 7:30 PM |
Statistics and Facts of Bangalore vs Kolkata
Despite Kolkata not having the best record against Mumbai, any contest between them always gives some interesting facts or statistics. We look at some exciting records between Kolkata and Mumbai:
- Harbhajan Singh, who was brought by Kolkata for the 2021 season, will be a key player against Bangalore, who have traditionally struggled against the slower bowlers. Harbhajan is the tied leading wicket-taker against Bangalore in the history of the Indian T20 domestic league, picking up 23 wickets. Sandeep Sharma also has 23 wickets against Bangalore. Sunil Narine is the eighth highest wicket-taker against Bangalore, picking up 16 wickets against them.
- Bangalore has the unwanted record of the lowest ever score in the history of the league, which came against Kolkata in 2017. Chasing 132 for a win, the Kohli-led side was reduced for only 49 in 9.4 overs.
- Both teams have several big hitters, and we see big scores whenever Bangalore and Kolkata take on each other. Since 2012, we have seen scores of 180 being breached 11 times in encounters between the two sides.
- Andre Russell has a phenomenal record against Yuzvendra Chahal, Bangalore’s premier bowler. The West Indian has smashed runs at a strike rate of 190.62 against him and has been dismissed only once.
- Sunil Narine has troubled Kohli in the league, dismissing him twice since 2012. However, he has not allowed the Indian skipper to tee off, as Kohli has a strike rate of 105.32 against Narine.
- Sunil Narine and Virat Kohli are two international players who have never played for any other franchise. Narine first played in the Indian T20 league in 2012 and has been with Kolkata since, while Kohli has been associated with Bangalore since 2008.
- Kohli has a hundred against Kolkata in the tournament, which came back in 2019 at Eden Gardens.
Bangalore vs Kolkata: Overall Head to Head Stats in the Indian T20 League
Mumbai and Rajasthan have faced each other 26 times in the history of the Indian T20 league, with Kolkata slightly edging ahead, with 14 wins. However, Bangalore has the recent edge against the side in the last two seasons, and they will be eager to continue their form.
We look at the yearly results between Bangalore and Kolkata (only the Indian T20 league).
| Year | Matches | Bangalore | Kolkata | Tie/NR |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2013 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2011 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2009 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2008 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – |
How will Bangalore vs Kolkata Stats Help You on MPL?
One of the marquee games of the edition due to the firepower in both teams, the encounter between Bangalore and Kolkata is expected to be another thriller. Knowing the statistics and head-to-head encounters between the two will help you pick your MPL fantasy team without any bias.
Download the MPL Pro app now, get your friends on board, join various leagues, and own bragging rights after you defeat your friends and win exciting cash prizes.
