After suffering two back-to-back home losses against Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore welcome Mumbai Indians now. Both the teams have had a torrid time in the tournament thus far and are stuck on the wrong end of the points table. MI, however, did defeat CSK in their last match.
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OPENERS:
Quinton De Kock
The South African wicketkeeper-batsman has been in good touch since the start of the IPL. He is getting his team off to a flying start but is unable to convert those starts into big knocks, something that he will be looking to do in the upcoming matches.
Manan Vohra
With ABD having almost recovered from his illness a couple of days ago, I expect him to slot right into the XI. Now, with that happening, BMac will have to make way for ABD, and hence RCB will once again have to change the opening combination.
Manan Vohra is an out and out opener and needs to be played at his best position. Kohli and ABD will slot into the middle order and provide depth to this RCB batting unit.
MIDDLE ORDER:
Virat Kohli
Virat was back in form vs KKR with the bat and is the among the leading run getters in the IPL.He will expect his team to be much better in the field and improve from their previous match.
.AB de Villiers
RCB have played six matches this season and out of the five, they managed to win just two. One man who starred in both the matches is South African import AB de Villiers as he scored match-winning fifties in both the games. De Villiers is in good form and the team management will want him to carry on his good work with the bat against KKR and RCB’s upcoming matches this season.But you feel,there is only so much the superman can do,he needs more support from the likes of Kohli and De Kock.
Mandeep Singh
Mandeep Singh has been a brilliant finisher for RCB this season, scoring at more than a strike rate of 180 in the final few overs,he will want to continue his good form and provide a flourish to the innings.
ALL-ROUNDERS
Washington Sundar/Murugun Ashwin
While Murugun Ashwin had a good outing with the ball, he failed to impress in the field dropping a dolly. He could be left out for Washintgton Sundar, primarily because of his batting abilities.
A lot was expected from Washington Sundar ahead of the 2018 IPL. But, the all-rounder form Tamil Nadu has looked off-colour this season apart from a couple of matches against Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab. Washington coming back to form will be crucial for RCB as he is one of the vital cogs in their bowling unit.
Sundar could be drafted in for Murugun Ashwin as Sundar will provide that little impetus with the bat down the order.
Moeen Ali
He will most likely replace Colin De Grandhomme in the starting line up.The game could see the Englishman getting his first game, he is an aggressive middle order batsmen who plays spin well and can give genuine off spin option to Kohli if he needs.
BOWLERS:
Umesh Yadav
Umesh Yadav has been RCB’s best bowler so far and apart from the match against the Royals where he conceded 59 runs, he has given RCB the perfect start while bowling but has not been effective enough in the death. Kohli will look to use him in a similar way he was used against KKR against whom he finished his quota of overs early.
Tim Southee
Tim Southee was drafted into the XI in the last game after days of keeping him out. Now, while he didn’t do much in his first outing, you’ll have to give Southee some leeway as he was just drafted into the XI and will take some time to settle in.
Yuzvendra Chahal
He has been quite economical in the past couple of matches,without taking much wickets in the middle overs.He will need to get the wickets in the middle phase of the innings so as to make much more of an impact on the team.
Navdeep Saini
Mohammed Siraj will make way for the Young Delhi seamer in Navdeep Saini who has impressed everyone in the Syed Mustaq Ali trophy.
