Faf & Co. play next three games in Bengaluru, confident Punjab first up
BENGALURU: A good start usually sets the tone for the season, and on that count the
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
got off the wrong foot. They lost their IPL season opener to Chennai Super Kings on Friday. But Faf du Plessis and his men have a golden opportunity to set things right as they play their next three games on home turf.
First up, they face Punjab Kings at the
M Chinnaswamy stadium
here on Monday. The visitors will be high on confidence following their four-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Saturday. If RCB, who won three of the seven games at the venue last season are to deliver in the 17th edition, they need to make their home advantage count at a venue which is primarily a batting paradise.
RCB have the batters to exploit such conditions.
Virat Kohli
, who batted for almost 30 minutes at the nets on Sunday,
Glenn Maxwell
and skipper Faf Du Plessis form the fulcrum of the line-up. With Cameron Green and Rajat Patidar in the middle order, the trio, which showcased a rich form last season, can play freely.
After falling to 78/5 against CSK, Bengaluru's top five will be determined to put up a good show in front of their home fans. It would also be fair to say that RCB, compared to last season, have better batting depth. Anuj Rawat's 25-ball 48 in the last game will inspire confidence, while the seasoned Dinesh Karthik is a proven good finisher.
Green is another middle-order bat who has it in him to win matches single-handedly. Patidar will be itching to make an impact too.
On paper, a fascinating contest is on the cards between the RCB batters and the all-round Punjab bowling unit. In Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh, the away team has a potent pace attack. The spin duo of Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar provides balance.
Meanwhile, their new acquisition Harshal Patel, who was surprisingly released by RCB ahead of the last auction, brings an intriguing sub-plot. The death over specialist knows his opposition well and will be keen to prove a point on a ground where he has been successful. On the other hand, the hosts must up their bowling game plan significantly.
Mohammed Siraj's ability to take early wickets holds the key, but death bowling continues to be a pressing concern, where Alzarri Joseph needs to come good. Leg spinner Karn Sharma, who had an economy rate of over 10.37 last season, is their lead spinner while slow left-arm Mayank Dagar lacks IPL experience.
With such a below-par attack, Punjab batters
Shikhar Dhawan
, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow among others will be eager to dominate.
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