Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore | Date & Time: 7 May at 14:30 (GST)
BIG PICTURE
Boosted by the rapid integration of Usman Khawaja and George Bailey into the side, the Rising Pune Supergiants recovered from their poor start with victory over Delhi Daredevils. Lying immediately above their opponents, the Supergiants currently have two more points (six) and have played two more games (nine) than their hosts for Saturday’s first game.
The odds of either team making the play-off spots appear slim, so the game at the Chinnaswamy takes on a new dimension. The Royal Challengers’ shaky bowling is a key factor behind their paltry return of two wins from seven games – one of which coming against the Supergiants.
When the two teams met in the reverse fixture in Pune, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers were in flying form. Batting first, they helped Bangalore to a total of 185 and a win by 13 runs. This time, however, the converse might be true (although Pune did actually win the first toss as well).
The match itself, though, is in jeopardy because of possible rain. An advantage on the possible use of the Duckworth-Lewis system is there to be had by acting pragmatically, but should the rain prove relentless, both teams will take a point apiece and call it quits.
KEY BATTLES
Ajinkya Rahane vs Bangalore bowling: Another half-century against the Delhi Daredevils proved Ajinkya Rahane is practically a one-man batting line-up. Ammunition has arrived from Australia to support Pune’s cause, but Rahane will be looking to gorge himself on Bangalore’s underperforming attack.
AB de Villiers vs Scott Boland: AB de Villiers’ value to the Royal Challengers is not simply his prodigious run-getting but also his consistency. It’s more a batsman’s game at the Chinnaswamy than anywhere else, but Scott Boland has found some form, and could stifle the South African maestro.
WATCH OUT FOR
Usman Khawaja has been a breath of fresh air for RPS
Usman Khawaja: A 27-ball 30 was a nice, comfortable acclimatisation for the Australian against the Daredevils. While he will likely supply the backing vocals to Rahane’s lead, Khawaja’s talent and the favourable batting environment of Bangalore could see him light up the ground.
EXPECTED XIs
The Royal Challengers’ batting can’t be faulted to a great degree, and there are unlikely to be any new faces in their selection of four foreign players now that Chris Gayle has returned to the side.
Lokesh Rahul (wk), Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Shane Watson, Sachin Baby, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Sreenath Aravind, Tabraiz Shamsi, Yuzvendra Chahal
Rising Pune Supergiants would not look to change a great deal after a much-needed win last time out. It seems they hit upon a fairly successful formula, bolstered by their new arrivals.
Ajinkya Rahane, Saurabh Tiwary, Usman Khawaja, George Bailey, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Thisara Perera, Rajat Bhatia, Scott Boland, Ravichandran Ashwin, Murugan Ashwin, Ashok Dinda
STRAIGHT FROM TWITTER