Relentless RCB lock horns with warring RR in first Eliminator of IPL 2024

After all the hustle and bustle that saw RCB storming into the IPL 2024 playoffs, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru will want to continue their special brand of cricket as a stern challenge awaits from the Rajasthan Royals. With the razzmatazz settling down, it’s all do-or-die from here for Faf du Plessis and company as the massive clash looms large.

RCB will be brimming with confidence with six wins from their last six games while Rajasthan Royals will be desperate to get back to winning ways, winless for the past month. Both the sides have had contrasting displays that has seen RCB gearing up late in the runway to the eliminator while RR have dropped momentum after a grandiloquent start to the season.

The batting unit for RCB has been the highlight of their season so far with their top-order contributing handsomely while a resurgence in their bowling unit has seen them turn the tide around emphatically. A lot will rely on the quartet of Kohli, Faf, Green and Rajat. However, with Maxi in the mix, a lot can happen too. With the rivalry in place between these two teams that have seen them duking it out with all their might since the very first season, expect this to be a cracker of a contest.

Venue Watch

The surface at Ahmedabad can be a tricky one to bat first on. The ball tends to grip a lot more and one needs to exert smart application with the bat in order to amass a fighting score. The side chasing will have the advantage of the surface settling down while the onset of dew is another massive help that the team batting second will have in their favour going forward.

Personal battles to watch out for:

Virat Kohli vs Ravichandran Ashwin:

Kohli’s rollicking form that has placed him right at the top of the scoring charts with glistening numbers like 708 runs scored at a strike rate of 155.60 and an average of 64.36 will be key for RCB to showcase their might and fury against an old foe. Ashwin may not have bagged as many wickets as he would have liked but that economy rate of 8.61 can be the game-changer in terms of this rivalry.

Glenn Maxwell vs Yuzvendra Chahal

Maxi may not have really roared to life in this year’s IPL but his ability to play spin is something of a beauty to witness. The last time these two teams met in 2023, Glenn’s half-century was a study of clinical precision and some exquisitely well-carved shots that screamed elegance. Chahal continues to be RR’s leading wicket-taker with 17 wickets and his earlier relationship with RCB makes this a battle to savour.

Yash Dayal vs Riyan Parag

2024 has been a season to remember for Yash Dayal with a turnaround like none other. With 15 wickets in his kitty and an economy rate of 8.94, Dayal will be one of RCB’s leading bets when they take on RR. Riyan Parag has been in dream form with 531 runs scored in this season at a staggering strike rate of 152.58 and he will be one of the leading names to spearhead the charge for RR.

Match details:

Match: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Date: 22nd May, 2024

Time: 7:30 PM

Head-to-head:

Matches played: 31

RR: 13

RCB: 15

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru:

Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan.

Rajasthan Royals:

Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Keshav Maharaj, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, Nandre Burger.