IPL 9, Match 44 Preview: Must win for RCB; qualification opportunity for GL

The Gujarat Lions are coming into the contest against the Royal Challengers Bangalore with a convincing win over the Kolkata Knight Riders chasing down a target with almost two overs to spare. That win must have definitely acted as a morale booster for the Lions after having lost three consecutive matches before that game. On the other hand, Royal Challengers lost their crucial last match to the Mumbai Indians at home. RCB have to win all their matches from here on to keep their hopes alive for a place in the playoffs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore:

Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli are likely to open the innings and we are yet to see a good performance from Gayle in this IPL and this would be the right time for him to do it for the RCB since it’s a do-or-die match. Virat and KL Rahul have been providing consistent performances throughout this season and Royal Challengers should opt to open with the pair and use the West Indian in the middle order or to finish the innings.

They would want AB de Villiers and Shane Watson to fire again. Both of them had been in decent touch recently and that’s a huge positive for them. The addition of Chris Jordan has not made any difference as the worry with the bowling attack continues. Yuzvendra Chahal is the only bowler who had been impressive in the lineup. In the last match at this venue, there was a bit of turn and the pitch was on the slower side which may force RCB to introduce one more spinner into the squad in the likes of Parveez Rasool or swap Jordan with Tabraiz Shamsi. S Arvind bowled well in the last game and should get another go.

Royal Challengers batting has been good all the way through the tournament. The problem is with their bowling and their bowlers need to step up to help them find a way into the playoffs.

Gujarat Lions:

Gujrat Lions will take field without skipper Suresh Raina who will miss his first IPL match since the inception of the league since he has flown to Holland to be with his wife who is to give birth to their first child. Either Brendon McCullum or Aaron Finch will lead the team in his absence. The openers have been the key to success for the Gujarat right from the start of the tournament and the hopes will once again rely on them to do well. The opening pair of McCullum and Dwayne Smith has failed in the last couple of matches, but still they make one of the most dangerous opening pairs in the tournament. They have Aaron Finch to follow and the likes of Dinesh Karthik, Akshdeep Nath, Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja in the lower middle order. Karthik has been in good touch in this season and he will be expected to take up more responsibility.

Pacers Dhawal Kulkarni and Praveen Kumar have been really good up front with the new ball and in the death. Chinaman Shivil Kaushik along with Pravin Tambe and Ravindra Jadeja add variety to the spin department. If the surface for this game is like the one used for the previous match GL will go in with three spinners otherwise, would want to add another seamer. If Gujarat’s top-order fires and the middle order matches it up RCB will find it difficult to overcome the Lions.

Probable XI-

Royal Challengers Bangalore:

Virat Kohli (C), Chris Gayle, Lokesh Rahul (wk), AB de Villiers, Shane Watson, Sachin Baby, Stuart Binny, Chris Jordan/ Tabraiz Shamsi, S Arvind, Varun Aaron, Yuzvendra Chahal

Gujarat Lions:

Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Aaron Finch, Akshdeep Nath, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Shivil Kaushik, Pravin Tambe

StAttack:

1. AB de Villiers needs 21 runs to complete 3000 IPL runs.