IPL 2021 preview: DC, RCB to meet in battle of equals

While RCB suffered a first loss in five outings on Sunday, DC edged out Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a Super Over thriller on the same day.

Published : Apr 26, 2021 18:59 IST , Bengaluru

Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 72 against Rajasthan Royals last week - his only fifty of the season so far.
Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 72 against Rajasthan Royals last week - his only fifty of the season so far.
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Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 72 against Rajasthan Royals last week - his only fifty of the season so far.

Still recovering from a 69-run rout at the hands of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faces another big test in the form of a strong Delhi Capitals (DC) at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

While RCB suffered a first loss in five outings on Sunday, DC edged out Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a Super Over thriller on the same day. RCB and DC are level on eight points, with the latter boasting of a better net run rate.

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The DC top order - consisting of Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant and Steve Smith - did well to find runs on a slow Chennai pitch, and will relish the chance to go all out in more batting-friendly conditions at Ahmedabad. In the absence of R. Ashwin, who has withdrawn from the tournament to be with his family in the fight against COVID-19, the spin bowling duties rest on Axar Patel and Amit Mishra.

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The pace attack is led by Avesh Khan - the team’s highest wicket-taker (11 wickets). South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has not been as impressive, having picked up only four wickets in as many outings.

RCB will be keen to forget the horrors of the previous match. Seam bowler Harshal Patel, normally a safe bet at the death, was blasted for 37 runs by Ravindra Jadeja in the final over. Faced with a stiff target of 192, the RCB batsmen folded. The likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, A.B. de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell - all of whom are in good touch - will hope that the CSK fixture was a minor blip.

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