Bengaluru, Apr 17 (PTI) Almost a month into IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have evolved into the most complete unit in the competition and they will be eager to strengthen their hold on this tag when they face the struggling Delhi Capitals here on Saturday.
Focus has largely remained on Virat Kohli, and the batting talisman has not disappointed his fans either, holding the Orange Cap for the time being.
But even Kohli would acknowledge that the RCB batting no longer solely depends on him.
Skipper Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt and Tim David have all left their indelible marks on RCB’s victories this season with buccaneering batting efforts, and they will be eager for an encore against DC.
Patidar, in particular, has been impressive with his awesome six-hitting spree, leading the chart with 21 maximums from five matches and three ahead of the marauding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals.
These efforts have probably freed up Kohli to pursue his craft, calm in the knowledge that there are more shoulders to carry the side’s batting.
In contrast, the Capitals are still searching for capable shoulders to scaffold their batting.
They have some experienced batters such as KL Rahul, Pathum Nissanka, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller and Nitish Rana but none of them have been consistent so far, and even a fifth place on the table with four points looks like an exaggeration at this point.
Young batter Sameer Rizvi alone has shown some stomach for fight, scoring two half-centuries and those general failures have aptly reflected in their defeats in the last two matches.
In fact, their two wins this season have come against Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, both of whom have been struggling more than DC.
Skipper Axar Patel too has been a big letdown this season, managing just three wickets and as many runs across four matches.
Similarly, inconsistency plagues them in bowling too.
Star left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav looks totally out of sorts having taken just three wickets after leaking nearly 10 runs an over, while pacers Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan’s good moments have been few and far between.
It will be a tough job for them to contain RCB’s batting line-up which is currently firing from all cylinders.
RCB also have a capable bowling unit under Australian quick Josh Hazlewood. They have found the perfect line and length to be effective at the Chinnaswamy.
Vice-captain Jitesh Sharma hinted as much.
“I think this year we are very smart about the wicket, we are adjusting to the wicket, we are tactically working, and I think that’s why we are winning all the games at home. I think that shows that we are working smartly and efficiently,” Jitesh said after the previous match against Lucknow Super Giants here.
Unless Delhi’s batters find their own cricketing smarts, the contest will be a lopsided one as it has been the case with the other three previous matches here.
Teams (from): ========== Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (captain), Virat Kohli, Tim David, Jacob Bethell, Romario Shepherd, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jordan Cox, Suyash Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Swapnil Singh, Jacob Duffy, Kanishk Chouhan, Abhinandan Singh, Mangesh Yadav, Phil Salt, Satvik Deswal, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra.
Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (captain), K.L. Rahul, Karun Nair, David Miller, Pathum Nissanka, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Auqib Dar, Nitish Rana, Mitchell Starc, T. Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Lungisani Ngidi, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav.
Match starts at 3.30pm. PTI UNG PM UNG PM PM
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