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The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. Virat Kohli and his men remain the only unbeaten side in the IPL 2021 season after back-to-back thrilling wins.
Kohli's men defended a modest total of 149 brilliantly in their last game as the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) fell six runs short. KKR, on the other hand, were on the receiving end of a superb bowling performance by defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI).
Despite the likes of Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell at the crease, KKR couldn't chase down 153. They will certainly be keen to work on their batting as such collapses could cost them dearly in future as well.
3 batsmen who can go big in RCB vs KKR game
Speaking of batting, it has been quite clear so far in the tournament that runs on the board are a crucial factor. Even a score in the range of 150-160 seems to be a match-winning total, especially at Chennai where it gets difficult to score as the game progresses.
On that note, let's have a look at three possible batsmen who could be the top run-getter in the RCB vs KKR encounter.
#3 Virat Kohli
The RCB skipper has arguably been the best batsmen in the team's ranks for years now. Virat Kohli has been loyal to this franchise ever since the inaugural edition and has strived hard each season to help them win that elusive maiden IPL title.
Kohli has taken the bold decision to open the batting for the RCB this year. So far in the tournament, the 32-year-old has twin scores of 33 and has not looked out of touch. He has unfortunately been dismissed after being set and that is one thing he would definitely want to correct.
Kohli seems to love playing against KKR, as he has scored 725 runs at a brilliant average of 40.27 with four fifties and a hundred to his name. This would certainly give him the confidence to get a big score against them on Sunday.
#2 AB de Villiers
The world is falling short of adjectives for a number of miraculous performances that AB de Villiers manages to pull off regularly for RCB. The value of his crucial knock against MI in the opening game is now realized by everyone as batsmen are experiencing difficulties in playing their shots at Chepauk.
Although de Villiers missed out in the last game against SRH, he can deliver a masterclass in batting almost at will. He has adapted seamlessly to life at No.5 as a finisher for RCB.
Although RCB also have the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Devdutt Padikkal to choose from, de Villiers is just too good not to be on this list. The 37-year-old seems to have cracked the code on how to pace an innings at Chepauk and his ominous form is an alarm bell for KKR.
#1 Nitish Rana
The current Orange Cap holder Nitish Rana holds the top spot as he is most likely to continue his rich vein of form. Rana was brilliant for KKR towards the end of last season where he was promoted to the opening slot.
With two half-centuries already in two games and 137 runs at a brilliant average of 68.5, Rana has taken his game to the next level. He has shown the blueprint that needs to be followed by batsmen on a difficult Chennai track.
By making the most of the powerplay field restrictions, Rana has helped gain KKR early momentum in their innings. His ability to rotate strike, coupled with the big-hitting prowess, has all but solved KKR's opening conundrum.
In the past, the RCB bowling attack has come under pressure and leaked runs when opposition batsmen have counter-attacked them. This makes Rana a strong contender to finish with the most runs in this game.
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