IPL 2018 KXIP vs RCB: 5 player battles to look forward to between Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore

#1 KL Rahul v Yuzvendra Chahal

KL Rahul

With 537 runs to his name, KXIP’s star opener KL Rahul is now the third highest run-scorer in this season’s IPL and he has scored those runs at an incredible strike-rate of 162.72. In his last three innings, the right-hander made 84 not out, 95 not out, and 66, and comes into this game in superb form. The RCB would need to find a way to keep their ex-player quiet or better still, take his wicket early on if they are to stall the KXIP batting effort.

The batsman’s record is awe-inspiring but his record against spin bowling so far has not been as impressive as his record against pace. He is averaging 27.9 against spin as opposed to 171 against pace and out of the 9 times that he has been dismissed, 7 of those have come against spinners.

Under these circumstances, RCB would do well to get their leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal to bowl against him right at the start and the spinner could well prove to be the antidote to Rahul’s marauding top order batting. Chahal control, turn, varieties and intelligence is going to be a challenge for the KXIP opener and could well end up being the most important battle in tonight’s game.