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In what could be a potential knockout punch for the loser of this contest, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face each other in a must-win IPL 2023 clash at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Sunday, May 14.
The Royals are currently placed fifth in the points table with 12 points from as many games while the Challengers are placed seventh with 10 points from 11 matches. Both teams can get to a maximum of 16 points for the season, turning this into a contest that neither team can afford to lose.
When these two teams faced off in Bengaluru earlier this season, RCB came up trumps as RR failed to chase down a target of 190. Glenn Maxwell did the star turn with a 77-run knock off 44 deliveries while skipper Faf du Plessis scored a superb 39-ball 62 himself.
Both teams clearly need all their components to function optimally as the race for the playoffs heats up. With that in mind, we look at three player battles to watch out for in the 60th match of IPL 2023:
#3 Glenn Maxwell vs Yuzvendra Chahal
This is a matchup that always comes to the fore every time RR and RCB lock horns, or whenever India and Australia draw the battle lines on the international circuit. It's no different ahead of today's IPL 2023 clash either, with Glenn Maxwell and Yuzvendra Chahal set to play major roles for their respective sides.
Chahal has dismissed Maxwell five times in all T20s, although the latter has scored 147 runs off 85 deliveries in this matchup. Clearly, it is a head-to-head that is as unpredictable as they come, with very little to choose between the two players.
Chahal, who recently became the IPL's all-time leading wicket-taker, should find conditions in Jaipur favoring him in this afternoon clash. With Maxwell having to do the bulk of the heavy lifting for RCB against spin in IPL 2023, who wins this subplot could go on to decide the fate of this contest - and the campaigns of these two teams - to a massive extent.
#2 Jos Buttler vs Mohammed Siraj
Having won the Orange Cap last season en route to RR making it to the final of the tournament, Jos Buttler hasn't been able to replicate the same form this season. While he scored a brilliant 95 against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at this venue a week ago, he was kept quiet by Mohammed Siraj earlier this season, as the Indian pacer breached his defense with a beauty of an inswinger.
Buttler clearly has a score to settle today when he faces the spearhead of the RCB attack, against whom he has scored 41 runs off 29 deliveries across all T20s to date. However, he has also been dismissed twice and will do well to keep in mind the ripper that sent him packing a few weeks ago in Bengaluru.
RR's batting unit has seemed a tad over-reliant on Yashasvi Jaiswal in recent times. Should Buttler join the party, he will only ease the burden on the rest of his colleagues. In order to do so and ensure his side remains relevant for the IPL 2023 playoffs, winning the battle against Siraj will be massive.
#1 Virat Kohli vs Trent Boult
When RR and RCB faced each other a few weeks ago in Bengaluru, Trent Boult bowled the perfect inswinger to send Virat Kohli packing off the very first delivery as the superstar batter was trapped plumb in front.
Mind you, that happened to be the first time the left-arm seamer dismissed Kohli in all T20s. Boult has gone for 76 runs off 54 deliveries to date against the right-handed batter. As much as this matchup reads in Kohli's favor though, Boult has been bowling like a dream in the powerplay in IPL 2023 and will fancy his chances at the top of his mark.
With RCB relying too much on Kohli, Maxwell, and du Plessis with the bat, this is a battle that the former has to win first up, lest it transfers pressure onto the rest of his colleagues and hands RR the advantage. Another spicy contest awaits then, doesn't it?
Which of these player battles do you think will be the most pivotal when RR and RCB clash in IPL 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!
Also read: IPL 2023: Predicting 3 players who will score the most runs in today's RR vs RCB clash
