Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be eager to break the sequence of reverses and get Rising Pune Supergiants' campaign back on track when they lock horns with in-form Kolkata Knight Riders here on Sunday.
So far, it hasn't been a smooth campaign for India's twin World Cup winning captain, barring the tournament opener against defending champions against Mumbai Indians, which his side won by nine wickets. The next three outings ended in defeats for Supergiants.
The overseas trio of Pietersen, Smith and Du Plessis failed miserably in the last game, and the Supergiants would hope for a much-improved performance from the batting heavyweights.
On the other hand, led by Gautam Gambhir, Kolkata Knight Riders have been on a roll, winning three of their four matches. Such has been their form that the two-time former champions continue to top the standings in the eight-team league.