Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils will play each other in a ‘Bottom of the table’ clash, at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. Delhi are perpetual under-performers in the Indian Premier League while Bangalore have been having a hard time since IPL 2017, losing matches that were firmly in their grasp. Daredevils have been unpredictable, while RCB have just been plain disappointing!
Teams
One thing that RCB have been doing horribly wrong over the years is chopping and changing their teams in every single game over the last 2-3 seasons. You can’t drop a player after 1-2 bad games but once again, they are spoilt for choice. Three bad games for Brendon McCullum and he was replaced by Corey Anderson, who ultimately went out for a duck, lol. A failure for him may very well bring back Baz or they may even try Colin de Grandhomme. This certainly isn’t good captaincy by Kohli.
On the pace bowling front as well, Mohammed Siraj was brought in for an under-performing Kulwant Khejroliya. What happens now that Siraj had a bad game too? Will he be dropped immediately? I believe he shouldn’t. I’m sticking to the fact that RCB will win a match again if one of de Kock, de Villiers or Kohli can bat out till atleast the 18th-19th over. Until then, I’m sorry, RCB fans (including myself).
Delhi Daredevils have a few holes they need to plug as well, if they are to do well in IPL 2018. A good batting line up is not good enough, especially when that line up is misfiring. With a bit of international experience under his belt, there was so much expected from Shreyas Iyer but he hasn’t stepped up. Similarly, Gautam Gambhir has not been able to score freely after a good innings in the first game. Jason Roy could be dangerous but consistency is key. He won them a game but then couldn’t contribute in the second!
Roy and Rishabh Pant could be the X-factor batsmen in their line up and RCB should do their homework and know about Roy’s weakness to leg-spin bowling. Will we see Yuzvendra Chahal be introduced early? He has been a wicket-taking option in the last 3-4 season of the IPL, but sadly, he’s gone for runs this year, without adding much to his wickets tally.
Overall
Again, I may be slightly biased when I pick Royal Challengers Bangalore to win the game but they do have the home advantage and from what we saw in the last game, Virat Kohli is in brilliant touch (as always). A maaaajjor fact to consider is that in the last 13 matches between these two, RCB firmly lead the head-to-head count 11-1, while one matched was washed out. Could the tide turn for RCB from here on?
