IPL 2018 KXIP vs RCB: 5 player battles to look forward to between Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore

After having lost their last two games, Kings XI Punjab are in the midst of a bit of a wobble but they are not yet in danger of missing out on the playoffs and tonight, they come up against a resurgent Royal Challengers Bangalore, who simply have to try to win all games.

They will play at one of the most batsmen-friendly grounds in India and considering the firepower in both teams, it could well be one of the biggest run fests in the tournament. That being said, the ultimate result of the game would depend on some of the individual battles that will unravel tonight at Indore in a crunch game. Here is a look at five of the most important battles in tonight’s game in the IPL.

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#5 Ravichandran Ashwin v Parthiv Patel

The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman has stood in admirably in the absence of Quinton de Kock and although he failed in his previous game (6 against Delhi Daredevils), Parthiv Patel is a steadying presence for RCB at the top of the order. He is at home against both pace and spin and that is one of the primary reasons why his performance will be crucial tonight in a game in which the RCB would need a good start. He got a half-century in his first game this season and would definitely want to get a substantial score on a pitch which is tailor-made for batting.

His ability to get RCB off to fast starts could prove to be a crucial factor if the team has to make the playoffs and it is his battle with KXIP captain Ravichandran Ashwin that is going to be a highlight of tonight’s game. The Indian off-spinner has reinvented his bowling and has emerged as a far improved bowler this season. This season, he has only given away 8.13 runs an over in 11 games and he would definitely like to have a go at De Kock during the Powerplays.

#4 Chris Gayle v Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav

In his last three games, KXIP’s star opener Chris Gayle has been in patchy form (8,1 and 21) and considering the sort of performances he delivered prior to that, it is a worrying development for them. KXIP is heavily dependent on its openers and hence, they would want him to get back to his best in tonight’s game against his old team. He routinely did so against Kolkata Knight Riders (another old employer) and that adds a new edge to the Jamaican’s batting tonight.

He can take the game away from the opposition fairly quickly but if he is to do so, then he would have to negotiate a fiery opening spell from RCB’s top fast bowler Umesh Yadav. The Indian fast bowler has taken 14 wickets so far and his opening battle with Gayle is going to set the tone for the game. His pace and movement will be a challenge for the left-hander, but at the same time, Indore is a batsman’s dream. So, who will prevail?

#3 Mujeeb Ur Rahman v Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli

In the first game between these two sides, Mujeeb Ur Rahman clean bowled Virat Kohli through the gate and immediately captured everyone's attention. Since then, the Afghan has gone from strength to strength and emerged as one of the IPL’s top bowlers. His accuracy, variety, and intelligence have made him KXIP’s best bowler. The events of their last encounter make tonight’s showdown between Kohli and Mujeeb such an interesting one.

The RCB captain is in fine form and his innings in the previous game are proof that he is getting into top gear in the business end of the league stage. He would like to continue in the same vein against KXIP and it is his battle with the young Afghan that could prove to be one of the most engrossing battles in the game.

#2 Andrew Tye v AB de Villiers

Andrew Tye

If the South African star gets going then there is very little that any team can do and against a team which conceded 245 in their previous game, AB de Villiers’ shadow looms large on KXIP’s bowling attack. In his previous game, he made a scintillating unbeaten 72 against the Delhi Daredevils and announced his return to form after a couple of low scores. His average of 51.14 and strike rate of 178.10 is an indication of the sort of tournament he has had so far.

If he is to be stopped, then KXIP would need an excellent effort from their overseas pro Andrew Tye and his battle with one of the IPL’s best batsmen is going to have a big say in the ultimate result of the game. The Australian is the tournament’s highest wicket-taker so far with 20 scalps and has recorded an excellent economy rate of 8 runs an over so far. It is going to be a match-defining battle and one that promises to be an explosive one.

#1 KL Rahul v Yuzvendra Chahal

KL Rahul

With 537 runs to his name, KXIP’s star opener KL Rahul is now the third highest run-scorer in this season’s IPL and he has scored those runs at an incredible strike-rate of 162.72. In his last three innings, the right-hander made 84 not out, 95 not out, and 66, and comes into this game in superb form. The RCB would need to find a way to keep their ex-player quiet or better still, take his wicket early on if they are to stall the KXIP batting effort.

The batsman’s record is awe-inspiring but his record against spin bowling so far has not been as impressive as his record against pace. He is averaging 27.9 against spin as opposed to 171 against pace and out of the 9 times that he has been dismissed, 7 of those have come against spinners.

Under these circumstances, RCB would do well to get their leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal to bowl against him right at the start and the spinner could well prove to be the antidote to Rahul’s marauding top order batting. Chahal control, turn, varieties and intelligence is going to be a challenge for the KXIP opener and could well end up being the most important battle in tonight’s game.