Virat Kohli turned an ordinary Ranji Trophy match into a three-day celebration during his most recent visit to the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Those who support Kohli will also loudly applaud a Delhi Capitals (DC) victory while the fanfare is still going on.
With an average of 65.33, Kohli is third on the Orange Cap list, second only to his 2016 run in which Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) advanced to the final. Since 2022, he has contributed the second-highest percentage of runs (26.12) in victories, behind Shubman Gill, and five of his six half-centuries have come in victories.
Kohli brings pleasant IPL memories to the Kotla. In 10 innings, he has amassed 483 runs with a strike rate of 145.5 and an average of 69, which is his highest total at any location where he has participated in more than five games. Unbeaten in their last five away games, RCB will be looking for another big win and avoiding their three-way tie with the Gujarat Titans and DC on 12 points.
Dominance by Kohli is only half the tale. KL Rahul, a player who has totally changed his T20 strategy, is DC’s own powerful force. Rahul no longer prioritises playing the long game; instead, he now places a higher value on aggression and boundaries. Rahul led DC to victory in their season-opening match at Chinnaswamy Stadium with a dominant performance.
With 323 runs at a scorching strike rate of 153.80 halfway through the season, he leads DC in scoring. He enters the RCB match fresh off an undefeated 57 against his old team, the Lucknow Super Giants.
In the absence of Faf du Plessis due to a groin ailment, Rahul’s outstanding play has carried DC’s top order. With Axar Patel, Karun Nair, and Abishek Porel all playing brilliantly, DC can match RCB’s batting power.
The match promises another plotline with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, two of the most accomplished fast bowlers, in addition to Kohli vs. Rahul.
There is a lot on the line in terms of playoff prospects. With their squads redesigned at the mega auction, RCB and DC both have the potential to win the championship. The chances of finishing in the top two will increase with a victory here.
Guide for forms
Delhi Capitals WLWLW (most recent first, last five games)
Bengaluru Royal Challengers WWLWL
Team updates and probable XIIs
Although he hasn’t played since April 10, Du Plessis is very close to being fully recovered. He’ll probably return as a fourth foreign player if he’s ready.
Abishek Porel, Faf du Plessis, Karun Nair, KL Rahul (week), Axar Patel (captain), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Michell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, and Dushmantha Chameera are the Delhi Capitals’ starting lineup.
It is unlikely that RCB will alter their established lineup.
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (captain), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shephard, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, and Suyash Sharma are the Royal Challengers Bengaluru lineup.
Kuldeep Yadav and Krunal Pandya are in the spotlight.
With 12 wickets at an economy of 6.3, which is tied for the best with Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav has been DC’s ace. He has contributed significantly to DC’s impressive middle-overs performance, in which they give up just 8.4 runs per over, and has gone wicketless just once. As evidenced by his 2 for 23 against the Mumbai Indians in an innings where they scored 205, he has been outstanding at home.
With 12 wickets in victories, Krunal Pandya has tied his best IPL total in his ninth season and is tied for second among spinners. Suyash Sharma’s dominance and his double blow helped them defeat the Rajasthan Royals three nights ago. With the playoffs in sight, the RCB duo is still vital despite not being as formidable as the Varuns or Narines.
The crucial query
Important statistics
With just one dismissal in five innings, Rahul has outscored Hazlewood in the IPL, scoring 76 runs at a strike rate of 173.
In the powerplay, Starc has been costly, giving up at 11.40. With an economy of 9.8, DC is the third-worst in the league, which has contributed to their overall struggles.
This season, every game in which Kohli has made a half-century has been won by RCB. Nine of the eleven games in which he scored fifty runs or more have been won by RCB since 2024.
Among batters who have faced at least 30 balls, Tim David has the second-best strike rate (212), only surpassed by Heinrich Klaasen.
Piyush Chawla (192) is only three wickets away from being surpassed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the second-highest wicket-taker in the IPL.
Among batters who have seen at least 50 balls this season, Axar Patel has the second-highest strike rate at 202. Striking at 268 puts Nicholas Pooran at the top of the list.
Conditions and pitch
Although there has been a lot of scoring in both games at Kotla, spinners like Kuldeep and Vipraj Nigam have taken wickets by tossing the ball up and turning it. While pacers have given up 10.2 runs per over, spin has taken 13 wickets at a cost of 9.1 runs. The team batting first will require a high total because dew is expected. It is difficult to estimate the par-score when both sides are evenly matched.
India
