IPL 2024: Eliminator, RR vs RCB: IPL Records & Stats at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

The all-important Eliminator beckons where Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will duke it out at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both teams have had very divergent fortunes recently. Even though RR finished with three points more than RCB in the table, they will still have to go through an arduous path if they want to get their hands on the coveted silverware just like RCB. 

RR had won eight of their first nine matches before losing track by losing four in a row. Their latest match, against KKR at Guwahati, was washed out with a toss, but without play(only the second such instance in IPL history), which ultimately paved the way for SRH to take on KKR in Qualifier 1. 

RCB on the other hand, bounced back from a 6-match losing streak and a 0.2% chance of qualification to the playoffs to win their next six in a row and make it in the top four albeit with the help of other results. Their latest game was a rollercoaster full of drama and twists. RCB were hosting CSK and facing a long task ahead of them. If CSK won the match, they would have qualified, but RCB had to be mindful of not just winning, but also the margin of their victory. RCB started strongly after being put in, but a rain break ultimately put a stop to RCB's barrage to produce a very challenging period of play for the batters.

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Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis were able to overcome that phase as the latter's fifty set the stage for Rajat Patidar and Cameron Green to continue their good form with solid contributions backed up by cameos from Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik. Both Maheesh Theekshana and Mitchell Santner were economical but that was about as much as they could contribute. CSK needed to just get within 17 runs of the target to qualify and not necessarily win. And even that looked bleak as Ruturaj Gaikwad fell first ball and Daryl Mitchell followed around two over later, Ajinkya Rahane was content playing second fiddle to Rachin Ravindra's whirlwind fifty, but once the latter fell, CSK looked completely lost as they lost wickets in successive overs including the one of a restrained Shivam Dube.

While Glenn Maxwell and Swapnil Singh were mainly very frugal, the true tale started when Ravindra Jadeja was joined at the crease by MS Dhoni who unleashed a barrage of strokes to take the equation from improbable to possible. Yash Dayal was then assigned the last over where CSK needed 17 runs to qualify for the playoffs. Despite being hit for a 110m six in the first ball, Dayal bounced back very hard to take a wicket and concede just one run in the next five balls putting RCB through in dramatic fashion. 

These teams met each other only once in the group stage at Jaipur where amidst a shocking lack of support, Virat Kohli huffed and puffed to the joint slowest IPL century ever. Jos Buttler responded with a three-figure knock of his own that was well supported by his teammates as RR registered a win. 

Both these teams' last playoff game was against each other at this very venue in the second qualifier of the 2022 edition of the IPL where Jos Buttler slammed a century while chasing a meagre total and put RR over the line. 

Narendra Modi Stadium Pitch Report:

In qualifier 1, the pitch was offering early help to the bowlers and got better to bat on as the match progressed without any major effect of dew. While it is likely that the surface may not be the same, there isn't much reason to believe that the eliminator would have the surface doing a complete 180. 

Check Here: RR vs RCB Live Score, Eliminator 

RR vs RCB IPL Stats and Records at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Out of 34, 19 matches have been won batting second. One match was abandoned without a toss but there have been zero no results. The average first innings total is 172. 

RR vs RCB Strategies & match-ups:

The most important thing that would strike one about this match is the absence of Jos Buttler who has returned to England duty. With Yashasvi Jaiswal's inconsistent form and a lack of clarity on his opening partner, RCB has the perfect platform to disorient RR in the first few overs itself and get an iron grip on the game. Chasing is mostly the better option at this stadium and the toss could be a very important one, especially in very dry conditions. The important matchups are Virat Kohli vs Sandeep Sharma, Faf du Plessis vs Trent Boult, Rajat Patidar vs Yuzvendra Chahal, Cameron Green vs Avesh Khan, Sanju Samson vs Karn Sharma, Riyan Parag vs Swapnil Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Yash Dayal. 

Check Here: RCB vs RR Dream11 Prediction, Eliminator

Player Battles to Watch Out For:

Virat Kohli vs Sandeep Sharma:

This is one of the most bowler-dominated matchups in IPL history, as Sharma has dismissed Kohli 7 times in the IPL, which is the joint second-highest alongside some other matchups. With 7 dismissals Virat Kohli has averaged 12.42 against Sharma while striking at 129.85 having scored 87 runs in 67 balls. This will be an important battle in the powerplay that will affect the rest of the match. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Mohammed Siraj:

RR's opening issues are documented in this piece, and this battle will decide how it goes. In 27 balls, Jaiswal has scored 37 runs against Siraj while being dismissed once at a strike rate of 125.92 and an average of 34. 

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X-Factors for RR vs RCB:

Rajasthan Royals:

With the opening being uncertain, the onus to carry the innings falls onto RR's number 3 and captain Sanju Samson alongisde his good record against RCB is the rock that all can fall upon. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru:

RCB's last few matches have been more of a team effort and hence it is not fully predictable who their X-factor should be. But it is very hard to look past the current Orange Cap holder Virat Kohli. His ability to reinvent his own game based on certain weaknesses' has been outstanding this season and that will be the headline of RCB's batting.