RR vs RCB Eliminator, IPL 2024: Rajasthan Royals takes on in-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru in knockout clash
Until a few weeks ago, a top-two finish looked imminent for Rajasthan Royals as the side dominated the first half of the Indian Premier League group stage.
However, four defeats on a trot followed by the abandonment of its last home fixture meant the Royals could eventually feature in the Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which comes on the back of six consecutive wins.
Thus, it will be a clash of two teams with contrasting fortunes at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday, with both hoping to stay alive in the race to the final. However, RCB comes into the knockout encounter with momentum on its side, while for the Royals, it will be a challenge to regroup and fix the weak links.
The sides have played each other just once this season, where the Royals rode on Jos Buttler’s century to bag a convincing win against RCB and outdo Virat Kohli’s gritty ton. But this time around, it would be different with Buttler not available for the playoffs, and it needs to be seen whether Tom Kohler-Cadmore can be a like-for-like replacement and deliver when it matters the most.
So far, it hasn’t been quite a smooth transition at the top as Kohler-Cadmore, managed only 18 runs off 23 balls in his debut game against Punjab Kings, raising questions about adaptability.
The fact that Yashasvi Jaiswal has also been inconsistent this season has added to the Royals’ woes, and in the absence of Buttler, it’s an opportunity for the India international to strike form. Even as captain Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag have stamped their class in almost every game, the lower-order has struggled to get going in tricky situations.
It’s time for solidity in the lower order, and the focus will be on Shimron Hetmyer, one of the key finishers, who hasn’t played since May 2 after he and Powell failed to finish a tense chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The West Indies power-hitter had a go at the training session on Tuesday, in an indication that he could be back in the scheme of things.
With Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, and Sandeep Sharma taking care of the pace bowling department, Royals also has enough firepower in its spin wing, with Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal leading the charge and at a venue that does not have shorter boundaries and docile tracks unlike other centres, the bowlers could come in handy.
The Kohli factor
But then, with Virat in red-hot form, having scored 708 runs from 14 games, RCB will start as favourites. Overcoming a forgettable first half, it has been a fairytale for the Bengaluru outfit, and the fact that it has managed to break into the top four would boost its confidence. While Virat has ensured RCB got steady starts throughout the season, skipper Faf du Plessis has struck form after initial struggles and has forged key partnerships with the Indian star.
The middle-order, too, has enough depth.
The seasoned Rajat Patidar – with five half-centuries this season – has steadied the innings in torrid situations and along with Dinesh Karthik, has helped the team, weather quite a few storms.
READ | Yash Dayal’s redemption shows why cricket is a great leveller
Karthik, who by his admission is at the fag end of his career, has maintained a strike rate of 195 despite batting lower down the order, and if he can get going, the absence of England’s Will Jacks may not have a massive impact on the team’s balance.
In its last match against Chennai Super Kings, seamer Yash Dayal’s dream final over sealed the deal for RCB and guided it into the playoffs, and having played at the venue earlier – when he was part of Gujarat Titans – the focus will once again be on Dayal.
Featuring for the Titans last year, the young fast bowler was devastated having conceded five consecutive sixes in an over off Rinku Singh in a game against KKR. Back at the old den, a refreshed and stronger Dayal will be hoping to keep the momentum going.
Two years ago, when the two teams squared off in a playoff fixture at the same venue, Royals had the last laugh, but this time around, a rejuvenated and confident RCB, certainly, has the edge.