BENGALURU: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), perennial slow starters and a side that has too often flattered only to fizzle when it matters, have been a revelation in this Indian Premier League (IPL) so far. As beginnings go, theirs has been pristinely new.
Under new captain Rajat Patidar, they have begun impeccably, notching up big wins against Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. They now have a more balanced side with a competent bowling attack — a bugbear in previous years — complementing a confident batting unit.
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RCB play the first of their home matches against Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday and, given how often they have let down fans, it’s hard not to conjure up the fate that befell their women’s team recently. After a sizzling start in the Women’s Premier League, the defending champions led by Smriti Mandhana lost four consecutive matches at home and crashed out in the league phase.
Although the men don’t play that many home matches on the trot, they will have to tread carefully at their home ground, a known batting paradise given its small boundaries.
One of their biggest assets is the new-ball bowling pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, old warhorses intimately familiar with conditions in Bengaluru. The city holds a special place for Bhuvneshwar, who cut his teeth in T20 international cricket at this venue against Pakistan in 2012.
Hazlewood has been immaculate in the two games so far in the 18th edition of the IPL, a luxury that has helped Patidar channel his bowling options around the veteran Australian. Apart from the seasoned pacers, RCB have the option of playing either Yash Dayal (most likely) or Rasikh Salam. RCB’s all-rounders Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone and Suyash Sharma for the crux of their spin department.
RCB’s batting lies in its top-order led by the red-hot Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, who is still warming up to the league. With in-form skipper Patidar offering stability, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma and Tim David lend depth to the line-up which will be a worry for any opposition.
The Titans, on the other hand, have had a mixed start to their campaign. After a heartbreaking 11-run loss to Punjab Kings in the opener, they recovered to outplay Mumbai Indians by 36 runs in Ahmedabad over the weekend.
Helmed by the ‘prince’ of Indian cricket, Shubman Gill, the Titans have a potent batting line-up which includes Sai Sudharsan, Gill, Jos Buttler, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia and Sherfane Rutherford. If the RCB bowlers are to have an off-day, Titans have enough ammunition to light up the compact stadium.
At the Chinnaswamy, RCB will be wary of the Titans’ bowling attack. Mohammed Siraj has spent the better part of his IPL career at the venue before the Bengaluru outfit let go off him before the mega auction. Then, there is the expertise of home boy Prasidh Krishna and the experience of Ishant Sharma to go with the class of Kagiso Rabada. With Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore also in the frame, the Titans have a better spin attack compared to the hosts.
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