Chennai Super Kings is one of the strongest teams in the Indian Premier League while Royal Challengers Bangalore have been a massive under-performer, especially in the last couple of seasons. When you say that statement, you start automatically favouring the Chennai team, especially when you know their respective positions on the IPL 2018 points table are #2 and #5.
Chennai lost their last game against Kolkata, while Bangalore are coming off a win thanks to a brilliant bowling performance, for the first time ever in IPL 2018. With Chennai’s record of not losing two consecutive games many times in the IPL, most would back them to win this, but RCB looked good in the last game and clearly have the momentum.
Teams
The CSK team has an in-form batting line up with the likes of Watson, Rayudu, Dhoni and Raina, but they aren’t very good when it comes to their bowling attack. Deepak Chahar has been injured but KM Asif has been a good replacement thus far. Ravindra Jadeja dropped two catches in the last game and also scored a run-a-ball 12. He has always been a great addition to CSK but he hasn’t been contributing much so it’ll be interesting to see if he still makes the team.
Let’s remember that RCB have won four of their five games at this ground in Pune. Let’s remember that a certain AB de Villiers is fit and will be making his comeback in this game. Let’s also remember that de Villiers has won the Man of the Match three times at this ground. RCB won their last game and the important part was not the win but the fact that they looked competent for the first time in the season.
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While they have been conceding a lot of runs in the last 5 overs, the last game was a brilliant display of death overs bowling. Tim Southee and Mohammed Siraj bowled yorker after yorker and one thing is for sure that if Bangalore score 205 again, they won’t lose it this time around. They have been constantly criticized for their bowling but it looks like that will end now. Quinton de Kock will be attending a wedding and will miss this game, so we’re expecting Parthiv Patel to come in for Vohra or Mandeep, as McCullum or ABD are unlikely to keep wickets.
Overall
Questions were never raised about RCB’s batting in the Indian Premier League and if they manage to replicate their bowling performance from the last game, they will become the side to beat this season. If Southee and Siraj can deliver those back-end yorkers once again, I’m backing Royal Challengers Bangalore to win this one!
