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The Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Punjab Kings have been amongst the most trolled and chastised teams in the IPL over the years for being the perennial bridesmaids of the league. Both franchises may have a contrasting brand image in the eyes of the public but they do share one common factor - they are among three foundation franchises that are yet to lay their hands on that elusive IPL trophy!
This season, however, has been a whole lot different. RCB have been clinical while the Kings have preached and practiced a cavalier brand of cricket with their batters looking to take the bull by the horns. And as they set out to face each other twice in the space of 48 hours, this weekend gives them both a golden opportunity to stay clear of the mid-table clutter and take a definitive step towards securing a berth in the playoffs.
There's still a long time to go for those discussions of course but every win is a step in the right direction anyway. From RCB's point of view, they will be desperate to record their first win at home for the season having lost both their games so far at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. That they've adapted brilliantly on the road to maintain a spotless record away though is testament to just how good this team has been this season.
As for the Kings, they found themselves at 83/5 against the Chennai Super Kings last week but it did not stop them from swinging hard and posting a winning score of 219. They were in shambles against the Kolkata Knight Riders a few days ago and crashed to 111 with all signs point towards a loss that would severely hurt their net run-rate. Instead, they rocked up in some style to break the record for the lowest total defended in the league's history as KKR crumbled to a paltry 95.
It was the sort of performance that would have boosted the confidence of the team to no end and reiterate the notion that come what may, they will always be in the contest. It's the sort of performance that this franchise has potentially been craving for having found ways to flatter to deceive instead. And under Shreyas Iyer, PBKS certainly seem to be the real deal.
That bowling display against the Knight Riders couldn't have come at a better time either for PBKS had conceded in excess of 200 four times in five outings prior to that contest. With Lockie Ferguson all but ruled out of the competition as well, that blow was a significant one to an underwhelming bowling attack. But just when the going got tough, Yuzvendra Chahal got going with his drift and guile on full display as he won them a game that never seemed possible for large swathes.
It was just what Chahal and the Kings needed with the IPL's all-time leading wicket-taker just not delivering until then like he often does. And it's familiar territory that he returns to having donned the RCB colors for years together and picked up a bucketful of wickets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. If he can make those inroads again, there's little reason to doubt the Kings' charge this season.
Marco Jansen turned in a three-wicket haul himself against KKR and the way he handled his own outside the powerplay too was an admirable sight. If he can develop on that too, it would only ease the burden on Arshdeep Singh with the new ball. Xavier Bartlett didn't have the best of outings on debut even as he picked up Quinton de Kock's wicket - besides becoming the butt of a number of jokes owing to a bizarre fielding blunder - but his metronomic bowling should be very useful on a Chinnaswamy deck that has had something in it for the bowlers this season. Oh, one of RCB's regular tormentors, Harpreet Brar, should be in line to feature too given the many right-handers to play the left-arm spin matchup against.
For all of PBKS' pyrotechnics with the bat, they will have to find that balance between aggression and over-aggression. More often than not, their attacking gameplay has come good but when in trouble, they will have to find a lower gear and consolidate lest it come apart to a point of no return. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh will keep throwing caution to the wind of course but Shreyas, Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh have the ability to operate in multiple gears - something they will have to make use of as per the situation of the game.
Elsewhere though, there are huge question marks over Glenn Maxwell's spot in the side. The Australian superstar just hasn't shown up with the bat even as he has been more than a handful with the ball. Whether coming up against his former team could bring the best out of him or not remains to be seen. A surprise selection move in the last game saw Marcus Stoinis left out for Josh Inglis and while Stoinis' medium-pace could be useful at the Chinnaswamy, it's hard to see the Kings discard Inglis after a lone outing.
RCB's most recent game saw them brush the Rajasthan Royals aside on a slow pitch at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Chasing 175, Phil Salt tore into the bowlers in the powerplay to shut the game for good before Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal duly got the job done with 2.3 overs to spare. Padikkal has blown hot and cold while Kohli hasn't fired in both games at the Chinnaswamy so far but with the top three and skipper Rajat Patidar all making their presence felt so far in the tournament, RCB have no reason to worry on that front.
Jitesh Sharma has shown his incredible range of shots and has been a silent performer in the middle-order while Tim David has been clobbering sixes at will in the death overs. Liam Livingstone's form is a concern despite his half-century against the Gujarat Titans earlier in the tournament but is a match-winner on his day. Much like Maxwell, he too will be up against the team he represented in the last cycle and would certainly want to put his best foot forward in that regard.
The major factor behind RCB's consistency this tournament, however, has been its bowling unit. To be more specific, their bowling in the powerplay for they boast of the best economy rate (7.50) in this phase this season. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal have swung the new ball and kept it tight while Josh Hazlewood, who has switched to a first change operator in the last few games, has been nothing short of magnificent. He has endured the odd expensive over in the middle phase over the last few outings but his presence and ability to hit the deck has been massive to the Royal Challengers' cause.
Krunal Pandya's defensive bowling skills have been on great display as well even as he hasn't necessarily fired at the Chinnaswamy just yet. With Suyash Sharma also impressing, there is no reason for RCB to tinker with their combination even as a better deck could warrant an additional seamer in Rasikh Dar. That's a call they will have to make based on the conditions but it's hard to think of another season where RCB have nailed down their best playing combination as early as they have this time.
Which means that we're in for an absolute cracker of a contest then! RCB haven't won a game yet at home but look the part with a well-balanced outfit. PBKS have been mercurial and exhilarating and have what it takes to continue their own excellent run of form. It's worth noting that the Kings have been happy to bat first regularly upon winning the toss but that's a decision they will have to reconsider given that there has been plenty of help for the bowlers early on at the Chinnaswamy.
That, in many ways, could be what this game boils down to. There has been enough throughout the course of the contest here for bowlers to work with and it has thrown batters a fresh challenge they haven't been used to at this venue. If that is to remain the case, the toss could become a huge factor with application and percentage cricket bound to dictate proceedings. If we manage to see the good old Chinnaswamy belter though, expect a whole lot of sixes to pour given the two powerhouse batting units who will take centerstage!
The first of two faceoffs then in a very short period between these two teams. Whoever wins the first round could well take a psychological edge. Given how hard this one is to call, it's time to brace yourselves for a cracking ride!
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Probable XII: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma
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M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
