Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are in the top four now. There aren’t many things that can mess with their playoff chances except, perhaps, their home venue woes, which they’ll have to confront once again. Three wins in eight games aren’t exactly a disaster, but when all three of their defeats have followed the same pattern, things start to take a darker turn. All of those losses came at home.
With at least three more home games left, RCB can’t just sweep these issues under the rug by doing well in away games. If a solution is to be found, it needs to be found now.
Home or away, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have been taking the beating everywhere. They have only two games this season, and RCB just recently handed them a nine-wicket comprehensive win at their home venue. However, their last two defeats followed a different script. They almost won both of them, but failed to get the final act together. Can they use RCB’s home disadvantage to do one better?
Team Overview:
On the road, RCB are the best team this season. Virat Kohli has amassed runs at an average of 146 in five away games. Besides him, three RCB batters feature in the top 15 highest away scorers. But all that pizzazz fizzles out at home. The same Kohli averages just 10 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. As a unit, RCB average the least at their home ground, which is a mere 16.83.
And it’s not just the batters. RCB’s bowlers concede 14 runs more per wicket at home than they do on the road. At home, RCB’s spinners have mostly just been spectators with the ball. They have taken only one wicket in 15 overs and have leaked 9.6 runs per over. In away fixtures, they quickly recalibrate themselves according to their job description with 15 wickets at an average of 35, and a far frugal economy of 8.5.
Rajasthan Royals are still fraying at the edges as IPL passes its halfway mark. The absence of Sanju Samson only deepens their issues. Though Riyan Parag has done decently in his place, the weight of leading the side has taken a toll on his form as a batter.
Apart from Parag, RR’s batting in general has failed to quite catch fire. Yashasvi Jaiswal has hit four fifties in his last five innings after a somewhat slow start to the season, hence, has been their best batter. But the supporting cast hasn’t done much to back his runs with much impact.
Another reason behind their below-par performance this year is their bowling at the death. They have conceded 12.5 runs in the last four overs this season, which is the highest among all teams. Sandeep Sharma, who was once their most reliable asset, has been miles from his trademark best. However, Jofra Archer is their lone bright spot. He has bowled tremendously in the powerplay.
Head-to-Head Matches:
Both teams have been exceedingly competitive against one another in the past. In 32 matches, they have crossed swords; RCB have 16 wins, while RR have 14. Two games ended without a result.
Weather and Pitch Report:
RCB and PBKS played a rain-truncated game in Bengaluru on Friday. Luckily, with clear skies, that will not be the case in this game. Chinnaswammy has not exactly been a batter’s favourite. The curators left some grass covering on the strips in all three games, but a hard surface was seen once the grass subsided. Expect pacers to hold sway. Anything above 170 should be a par-score at this venue.
Where to Watch:
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
UK: Sky Sports, SkyGo
USA: Willow TV
Australia: Kayo TV, FoxTel Go
Bangladesh: T Sports, Toffee app
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
Afghanistan: ATN
South Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog
MENA: Cricbuzz
