IPL 2018, RCB vs SRH: 5 player battles to look forward to

Another day and it is another must-win game for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and although it is a home game, they are going to come up against table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad. It is going to be a tough game for RCB and needless to say, SRH will give them a tough fight as they themselves try and get back into winning ways following the setback in their last game.

It is a contest that hinges on RCB’s explosive batting and SRH’s bowling attack, which has proven to be the team’s biggest strength in the tournament so far. It is going to be a game to remember and the ultimate result of the game is going to depend on some of the individual battles that will take place tonight in Bengaluru. Here is a look at the 5 most important individual battles that will have a big say in the game.

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#5 Parthiv Patel v Sandeep Sharma

The RCB opening batsman plays a vital role in an explosive batting line-up and is generally tasked with the job of getting the team off to steady starts. Ever since he came into the side following Quinton de Kock’s absence, Parthiv Patel has done admirably for RCB as an opener and his contribution at the top of the order is going to be absolutely crucial for the team in this must-win game tonight. He is averaging 39.66 in 4 games so far and has recorded a strike rate of 141.66.

The left-handed batsman’s opening battle with SRH’s Sandeep Sharma is going to be a crucial one. The right arm pace bowler is extremely accurate and can move the ball either way, which has seen him emerge as one of the best medium pace bowlers in the tournament. Sharma has taken 8 wickets in as many games but it is his economy rate of 5.83 which is so impressive and his opening spell against Patel is going to have a huge impact on the direction of the game.

#4 AB de Villiers v Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan.

The South African is the lynchpin of the RCB middle-order and it is his power-hitting that almost always have a big say on the team ending up with an excellent batting effort. AB de Villiers comes in to bat at 4 and his batting is crucial for RCB during the middle overs and the slog overs. Considering the fact that he is averaging 51.14 and striking at 178.10, SRH have to find a way to get him out. Keeping him quiet is not an option and the man for the job could just be their star spinner, Rashid Khan.

The leg-spinner is the world’s top T20 bowler and he has performed like that this season, despite a little loss of form at one point. He has taken 13 wickets so far in 12 games and has returned an economy rate of only 7.20. His spell against AB de Villiers is going to be one of the highlights of the game tonight and could well prove to be a game-defining one.

#3 Yuzvendra Chahal v Kane Williamson

Yuzvendra Chahal

The SRH captain may not be the most spectacular power-hitter in the game but he is one of the world’s top batsmen and this year Kane Williamson has emerged as the team’s top scorer with a total of 544 runs. He is averaging over 60 and striking at 134.98. He is a player who does not have many weaknesses and when the situation demands, he can go after any bowler in the world.

That is what makes him so dangerous and his duel tonight against RCB’s spin ace Yuzvendra Chahal is going to be a crucial one. Spin is not one of his weaknesses but the RCB leg-spinner is an operator who can induce mistakes from the best players and on top of that, he does not give away many runs. An economy rate of only 7.35 is ample proof of his prowess as a bowler and tonight he would want to stifle Williamson so as to induce a mistake from the Kiwi.

#2 Umesh Yadav v Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan

He has been one of the tournament’s best fast bowlers so far and with a tally of 17 wickets in 12 games, Umesh Yadav’s opening spell is going to be vital for RCB’s chances in the crunch game tonight. Additionally, he has only given away 8.01 runs an over and his spell against SRH’s star opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan is going to have a big impact on the game.

The SRH batsman has returned to sublime form after a bit of a slump and scored an unbeaten 92 and 72 in his last two games. If RCB are to win tonight’s game, then they must try and get him early on. The man for the job is almost certainly going to be Umesh Yadav and his pace, bounce and movement are going to be a big challenge for Dhawan. Whoever ends up winning this battle will almost certainly give his team a big chance of eventually winning the game.

#1 Virat Kohli v Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Virat Kohli

The SRH bowling attack is the best in the tournament and its leader is Indian bowling star, Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He may have taken only 8 wickets in as many games but it is his craft as a bowler that puts the brakes on batting sides and an economy rate of 8.12 is ample proof of the sort of control that he provides SRH. Tonight his battle with RCB captain Virat Kohli is going to be the headline act of the game as the world’s premier batsman tries to give his team the chance to make it to the playoffs.

Kohli has been in superb form of late and has made 514 runs so far in 12 games at an incredible average of 57.11. He is the key wicket as far as SRH are concerned and it is his battle with the SRH bowling attack, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar that is going to be the big contest of the game. The battle between two of the best players in the game is going to be a fascinating watch.