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A week or so ago, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru were down in the dumps. They had lost seven of their eight fixtures and their fans would have been forgiven to wonder where the next win was going to come from. Now, things are on the up.
Two consecutive victories means that they finally have some momentum in what has otherwise been a torrid season, and results elsewhere have meant that they are still within contention for the playoffs, although they need a ton of results to go their way.
Nevertheless, the fact that they can now dream of the playoffs should be incentive enough. That their next game is against the Gujarat Titans – a side they eased past last Sunday, should only make them more upbeat.
Speaking of the Titans, they had endured a stop-start campaign themselves. Some of their wins have been clinical, one was pulled out of the fire against the Rajasthan Royals but it has largely been a year where they have struggled.
The lack of runs is now starting to hurt them, and Shubman Gill, in his first season as IPL captain, has not amassed the mountain of runs he did in 2023. David Miller has also not quite gotten going, whereas the Indian batting contingent has flattered to deceive. The lower middle order, consisting of Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan have played useful cameos but there is only so much they can do every time.
The other problem for the Titans is that their bowling attack has also not been as penetrative as usual. Mohammed Shami’s absence has blunted their ability to make inroads, with Mohit Sharma also coming in for tap this season. Their talisman Rashid has also not been at his absolute best and a combination of these factors sees them placed firmly in the lower trenches.
But that is the beauty of the IPL. Till a week back, RCB seemed to have exactly the same problems. Apart from Virat Kohli, none of the others had been among the runs. Now, Will Jacks has a century to his name, Rajat Patidar has blazed away on three different occasions, and captain Faf du Plessis is threatening to find form.
The bowlers have also held their own in the past couple of games. Mohammed Siraj, having missed the odd game, is bowling much better, both in terms of execution and planning. Jacks has provided a good off-spin option, alongside wrist-spinner Karn Sharma.
So, there is no denying which team arrives with a head of steam. RCB will also be playing at home, and will likely be cheered on by a raucous crowd. But they also have a middling record at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and that is where the Titans’ best opportunity lies.
Gujarat, for one reason or another, have not looked comfortable at home in 2024, and a match on the road, especially at a ground where they enjoyed stellar success last year, could just be the tonic they need.
What either of these teams achieve from now until the end of the season, remains unclear. But given the stakes, given how their campaign has panned out so far, this has suddenly become a game neither can really lose.
Expect a cracker!
RCB Probable XII: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Mahipal Lomror, Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal
GT Probable XII: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill (c), B Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma, Spencer Johnson, Sandeep Warrier