Batbricks7

Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 7:30 PM

Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Eliminator

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

HEAD TO HEAD
TotaL          : 31
RCB Won   : 15
RR Won      : 13

 RCB clash with the Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, it will be a Royal battle - literally and metaphorically. Captained by Faf du Plessis and piloted by Virat Kohli, RCB are on a roll while the Sanju Samson side have had their moments and will be no pushovers. It will be a contest between sides that are equal in strength. The only difference is that RCB are coming off six consecutive wins and RR are entering the match with four back-to-back losses and one washout. The momentum, if it means something in sport, is with the Bengaluru side.

On the cricketing front, the RCB batters, mainly, Kohli, will try to use the slog-sweep, a shot that has provided him initial thrust to his innings, to good effect and one of the clinching factors of the game will be how effectively Samson and coach Kumar Sangakkara force the RCB batsmen to look for other options to force the pace of scoring.

The big factor in the game, of course, is how deftly Kohli handles Trent Boult, the Royals' spearhead, who has a habit of taking wickets in the PowerPlays - more precisely in the very first over itself. Another match-up will be between Nandre Burger and du Plessis. A battle within the battle is how well the two South Africans handle each other.

The middle-over contest will be between Rajat Patidar and the Royals spin duo of R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. Ashwin, after a rather lacklustre start to the season, has come back into his groove while Chahal, the most successful bowler in the IPL history, is ever-dependable even if slightly out of form in the last few games. Patidar, in the meanwhile, has rediscovered himself by scoring heavily against the spinners. His six-hitting spree against spinners is a contributing factor to the RCB's resurgence in the season and it will be another battle within the battle. Then there is the Sandeep Sharma factor. The slow medium bowler has had a very good success rate against RCB (26 wickets in 18 games) and he will be a key arsenal in the Royals' attack.

The last time the two faced off against each other, RCB bowled a lot of short balls to the RR batters and it will be another key factor of the game. How well the Royals will handle or force the RCB bowlers to go for another strategy? RCB also have got spearhead Mohammed Siraj back in form and Glenn Maxwell has been bowling off-spin well lately. Although the Australian's primary role will be to score runs, his bowling has been a welcome bonus for the Bengaluru side.

Yash Dayal is confident after bowling a match-winning last over against CSK in the last game and then there is Karn Sharma, who has a knack for being part of the sides that have won the IPL title. Sharma was part of triumphant IPL sides in 2016, 17 and 18. Not only has he been bowling well, he could well be a lucky mascot for RCB.

Rajasthan Royals 

While Virat Kohli has done well to negate the threat against Trent Boult in the powerplay, he has fallen seven times in 67 balls against Sandeep Sharma

Injury and availability: All players are available, except Jos Buttler, who has joined the national team.

Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sanju Samson (c/wk), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal [Impact Sub: Nandre Burger]

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Yash Dayal has dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal twice in 12 balls, conceding only 11 runs in return. The left-arm pacer could have a bigger role in the powerplay.

Injury and Availability: Will Jacks and Reece Topley have returned home to be with the national team

Probable XI: Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Karn Sharma, Yash Dayal, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Siraj [Impact Sub: Swapnil Singh]