KOLKATA, APRIL 10, 20206:Rajasthan Royals (RR) host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for a thrilling showdown clash today, Friday, 10th April at 7:30 PM in the 16th match of the IPL season at Barsapara Stadium. Guwahati.
Both teams have started their season in incredible form. The defending champions, RCB, have played 2 matches and won both, earning 4 points and currently holding the 3rd position on the table. So far this season, they have shown complete dominance in both matches (against SRH and CSK), playing like true champions. In their last match, they chased down a massive total of 250 against CSK—the highest successful chase so far this season. On the other hand, RR have looked outstanding this season. They have played 3 matches and won all 3, placing them at the top of the table with 6 points.
RCB, after winning the title last year, have retained a similar squad with minimal changes, including additions like Jacob Duffy and Venkatesh Iyer. Their firing batting order has looked fabulous in recent matches. Virat Kohli and Phil Salt have played vital roles as openers. At No. 3, Devdutt Padikkal has showcased brilliant performances. Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar and Tim David have handled the middle order brilliantly. Their bowling unit has also been impressive, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, along with Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya. Jacob Duffy, who replaced the injured Josh Hazlewood, has become a key player with outstanding performances—taking 3 wickets in the first match and 2 in the last. With his early excellent performances, he has become a major player for the team. On the other hand, RR’s fiery and power-packed opening duo of young star Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal (currently holding the Orange Cap) have played electrifying cricket in the powerplay and carried that strong momentum into the middle overs. In the middle order, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, and Shimron Hetmyer have handled their responsibilities very well. RR also have a strong bowling lineup featuring Ravi Bishnoi (current Purple Cap holder), Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, and Tushar Deshpande. Under the captaincy of Riyan Parag, RR have looked very confident this season.
In the pre-match conference on Thursday, 9th April, RR’s fast bowling coach Shane Bond said about the young star Vaibhav Suryavanshi: “It hasn’t just been reckless hitting,” Bond also added, “He has seen out the good balls and picked the balls to hit.”
RR and RCB have played 33 matches in the IPL, with RR winning 14, RCB winning 17, and 2 matches ending with no result.
RR Squad: Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Rao Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur, Brijesh Sharma, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen, Sandeep Sharma, Nandre Burger.
Rajasthan Royals predicted XI: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (capt), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande
RCB Squad:
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Jordan Cox, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Venkatesh Iyer, Swapnil Singh, Satvik Deswal, Mangesh Yedave, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanish Chohan, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Jacob Duffy, Nuwan Thushara, Abhinandan Singh.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted Playing XI :
Virat Kohli and Phil Salt as openers, followed by Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Jacob Duffy.
In Guwahati, the weather is expected to be favorable. Temperatures will hover between about 21°C and 26°C with fairly high humidity, which means dew is likely to become a factor in the second innings. While there is a small chance of rain or thunderstorms earlier in the day, the probability drops significantly by match time in the evening, making a full game highly likely. Overall, conditions should remain partly cloudy and pleasant, with only a slight risk of brief interruptions but no major threat of a washout. The pitch at Barsapara Stadium is batting-friendly, offering good bounce and a fast outfield. Pacers may get slight assistance early on, but overall it favors batsmen. Dew in the second innings could make chasing easier. It will be exciting to see how both teams clash against each other and who comes out on top in this thrilling encounter.
