The scorching heat in Karnataka has brought immense relief to Bengaluru with Friday afternoon’s rain. However, the conditions have raised concerns for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as they languish at the bottom of the IPL points table with only three wins from 10 matches.
RCB’s hopes of making the playoffs are hanging by a thread, and a rain-affected match against Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy stadium could extinguish their chances. Despite back-to-back wins, RCB has struggled to find consistency this season.
Gujarat Titans, with two points more than RCB, are also in a precarious position in the race to the playoffs. After losing to RCB on their home turf last week, Shubman Gill and his team will be looking to capitalize on RCB’s poor home form, having won only one of their five outings.
Virat Kohli, the second-highest run-getter of the season, will be crucial for RCB. However, the spotlight will be on English all-rounder Will Jacks, who made a stunning IPL debut with an unbeaten 41-ball 100 against Mumbai Indians.
RCB’s batting lineup has been inconsistent, and they will need to improve their performance. Gujarat, too, will hope for their batters to deliver, especially in the Powerplay, which has been a weakness for them.
In bowling, Gujarat has a significant advantage with spin ace Rashid Khan, while RCB lacks a tweaker of similar pedigree. Pacers on both sides have been unimpressive, and they will face a stern test at the big-hitting M Chinnaswamy stadium.
