RR vs DC Prediction: Who will win today’s IPL 2021 match?

Two of the youngest captains in the IPL will face off on Thursday as the Rajasthan Royals (RR) lock horns with Delhi Capitals (DC) in Mumbai. Both Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant impressed in their debut games, albeit for entirely different reasons.

To say Sanju Samson led RR from the front would be an understatement. The batsman dug his heels when it all looked lost against the Punjab Kings, almost powering his side to victory. But his brave decision to deny a single off the second-last ball of the match didn’t pay off as the RR captain’s brilliant 119 went in vain.

Chasing 222 on a belter at Wankhede, the Royals fell agonizingly short by four runs. In addition to Samson’s sterling knock, there were several other positives to take. Chetan Sakariya looked at home in his debut game, Chris Morris didn’t do too badly, and Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag impressed in their short stints in the middle. RR know if they can put together a complete performance, they are in with a shot at victory on Thursday.

If the RR failed to put together a comprehensive performance in their IPL opener, the Delhi Capitals did exactly that against the Chennai Super Kings. Rishabh Pant hardly put a foot wrong as DC skipper, getting everything right from winning the toss to hitting the winning runs.

More intensity. More hunger. More than ready. 👊P.S. Good to see you, @DavidMillerSA12. 💗 @keicable | #HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | #RRvDC | #WiredWithPower pic.twitter.com/OO4Haqg4XO

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 14, 2021

DC made little work of CSK’s target of 189, chasing it down with eight balls to spare. Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw took the game away from CSK with a 138-run partnership before Rishabh Pant calmly guided his side to victory.

The head-to-head record has absolutely nothing between the two sides. Both DC and RR have won 11 games each against each other in the IPL. But it is the Delhi Capitals who have had the edge recently. DC have emerged victorious in each of the last five encounters against RR.

IPL 2021: RR vs DC Match Prediction

💙 𝓜𝓐𝓣𝓒𝓗𝓓𝓐𝓨 💙Time to build on a brilliant start to #IPL2021 with a win over the Royals🔥🏟️: Wankhede Stadium🕖: 7:30 PM#YehHaiNayiDilli #VIVOIPL #RRvDC @RishabhPant17 @PrithviShaw @MStoinis pic.twitter.com/Vp7W1SgaZI

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 15, 2021

RR were dealt a massive blow after their opening game loss, with Ben Stokes ruled out of the tournament due to a finger injury. Although the all-rounder will stay with the side for the rest of the IPL, his loss is a big setback for Sanju Samson’s team.

The injury means RR will sport a new opening combination for the DC game. Yashasvi Jaiswal could get a look in at the top, with David Miller replacing Stokes in the middle. Another option could see Liam Livingstone open the batting. The Englishman impressed for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, hitting 28 sixes in the tournament.

DC have selection headaches of their own heading into the game. A COVID-19 scare means Anrich Nortje will miss the RR clash. But Kagiso Rabada was pictured training and should slot straight back into Tom Curran's place. DC are unlikely to make any other changes to the team that impressed against CSK, with Axar Patel and Ishant Sharma recovering from COVID-19 and injury respectively.

DC’s settled line-up and the embarrassment of batting riches make them the clear favorites for Thursday's game. The return of Rabada should boost their case further, and it is a game they must win if they harbor hopes of ending their IPL drought in 2021.

For the Rajasthan Royals, the setback of losing Ben Stokes may prove to be too much. The loss of leadership is something they will have to cover for as well, and his injury drastically changes the balance of a side that was not ideally balanced in the first place.

Prediction: DC to win