As the business end of the IPL nears, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) find themselves in a precarious yet promising position. Having secured four consecutive wins, the team has managed to keep its playoff hopes alive. This streak of success will be tested in their next match against a capricious Delhi Capitals team this Sunday.
But even before the first ball has been bowled, it's advantage RCB, after Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant was suspended for one match and fined INR 30 Lakh for yet another over-rate offence in the match against RR. His absence will surely come as a big boost for the Royal Challengers.
RCB's recent victories have been against teams like the Gujarat Titans—whom they defeated twice—and 1 win each against Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. While the win against SRH was hard-fought, the matches against the Titans and Kings were less challenging, showcasing RCB’s potential when conditions are favourable.
However, the Delhi Capitals represent a unique challenge due to their unpredictable performances. Exhibiting extremes in form, the Capitals have demonstrated their capability for brilliance, as seen in their high-scoring victory against Mumbai Indians where they posted 257/4. Yet, they have also shown vulnerability, such as their collapse to 153/9 against Kolkata Knight Riders. This inconsistency makes them a dangerous opponent capable of either brilliance or sudden capitulation. They currently have 12 points but a loss could bring down curtains on their campaign, owing to their poor NRR in the mid-table congestion.
Currently sitting seventh in the league with 10 points from 12 matches, RCB are under pressure to maintain their momentum. A loss against the Capitals could derail their recent progress and will most likely end their hopes of reaching the playoffs. Nevertheless, the team draws confidence from its robust batting lineup, spearheaded by Virat Kohli, who has been exceptional this season. Kohli, leading the tournament in runs with 634 at a strike rate of 153, has been instrumental in providing RCB with solid starts, whether setting targets or chasing.
Supporting Kohli, the likes of Faf du Plessis, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, and Dinesh Karthik have all made valuable contributions, giving the bowlers a substantial margin to defend. This combined team effort has seen a remarkable improvement in their bowling attack, particularly noted in the performances of Mohammed Siraj and Yash Dayal, who have effectively managed to keep their economy rates below ten runs per over—a significant achievement in this high-scoring tournament.
On the other side, Delhi Capitals’ Jack Fraser-McGurk has been a revelation since replacing David Warner. Fraser-McGurk’s aggressive batting, yielding 309 runs at a strike rate of 235.87 from seven matches, has compensated well for Warner’s absence. His partner, Abhishek Porel, has also been effective, although the team management hopes for more consistency from him.
Delhi’s strength in the bowling department could pose a threat to RCB’s batters. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel have been economical, sharing 24 wickets between them at commendable economy rates. Their performance in containing RCB’s middle-over batting could be crucial. Additionally, pacers Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar will aim to disrupt RCB’s top order early on.
Team News
The Delhi Capitals have seen a remarkable turnaround in form ever since Jake Fraser-McGurk was drafted into the XI. David Warner has missed weeks of action and there's still no clarity on his recovery. In all likelihood, DC, apart from the forced Rishabh Pant change, will keep the rest of their lineup same.
RCB thrashed Punjab Kings by 60 runs in their last encounter. Lockie Ferguson, who replaced Glenn Maxwell in the starting lineup, took 2/29 and should keep his place.
Head-to-head record
RCB and DC have faced each other 30 times, with the Bengaluru franchise coming on top on 18 occasions. DC have won 11 of these games while 1 was a no result.
Weather report
Rain could play a part in the contest at the Chinnaswamy, with a 10-20% chance of thundershowers during the game. The weather should also be relatively pleasant with temperatures in the range of 25-29°C.
Probable XIs
RCB Probable XI: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Mahipal Lomror, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Lockie Ferguson
DC Probable XI: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel (wk), Shai Hope, Kumar Kushagra Tristan Stubbs, Gulbadin Naib, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed
Full squads
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Mahipal Lomror, Anuj Rawat, Suyash Prabhudessai, Akash Deep, Himanshu Sharma, Reece Topley, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Mayank Dagar, Alzarri Joseph, Manoj Bhandage, Saurav Chauhan, Rajan Kumar
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (wk/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Rasikh Dar Salam, Lizaad Williams, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Sumit Kumar, Praveen Dubey, Kumar Kushagra, Ricky Bhui, Ishant Sharma, David Warner, Gulbadin Naib, Jhye Richardson, Anrich Nortje, Lalit Yadav, Yash Dhull, Vicky Ostwal, Swastik Chikara
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(With PTI inputs)
