Emerging star Jofra Archer could play big role for Rajasthan Royals in Kolkata

Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals
Sky Sports Cricket, 3.30pm Tuesday

Kolkata and Rajasthan boosted their IPL playoffs chances with valuable away wins over the weekend and the winners of their Eden Gardens clash will take a huge leap towards a top-four spot.

Kolkata blasted 245-6 to crush Kings XI Punjab in friendly batting conditions in Indore while Jos Buttler equalled Virender Sehwag's record of five consecutive IPL fifties as Rajasthan made it three wins in a row against Mumbai.

Buttler's promotion to open the batting has proved a masterstroke from Shane Warne and the rest of the Royals management.

The England man's last three efforts have been match-winning knocks of 82, 95 not out and 94 not out and, unsurprisingly, there isn't much juice remaining in his top-runscorer odds.

Instead, punters should turn to the top Rajasthan wicket-taker market and support a man who will surely be joining Buttler in England's limited-overs team as soon as he qualifies through residency.

Sussex's Barbados-born fast bowler Jofra Archer lit up the Big Bash in Australia and is enjoying a terrific debut season in the IPL.

His fiendish changes of pace make him a wonderful weapon to have at the death and he took 2-16 off four overs against Mumbai, including the key scalp of Rohit Sharma for a first-ball duck.

Archer took 3-22 and 3-26 in his first two IPL appearances and opposition batsmen appear no closer to working out how to combat the hugely talented youngster.

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