The IPL has now reached a stage where every game counts with the larger picture in mind. RR will be ruing the fact that they lost two games where they had things in their control. They are now stuck in a 4-way race vying for the 4th spot. RCB on the other hand, are quite comfortably placed post their win over MI. Every win from now on will help them aim for a top-2 finish, lets see some predictions about match IPL 2021: RR vs RCB .

RR vs RCB: Form preview

RR’s progress to the playoffs meets bumps:

Rajasthan Royals have now lost 2 games on a trot. They will be especially disappointed with the way their batters played in those 2 games. As batting is arguably their stronger forte. Their batting apart from their captain Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal has been lackadaisical. Mahipal Lomror struggled big-time against SRH. His innings eventually cost RR the game on a batting-friendly wicket. RR who were riding high on the back of a few understated wins are now suddenly under the radar. They will be eager to get back to winning ways. But they will be up against an upbeat RCB side in Dubai.

Bangalore roar back strongly:

RCB were in a spot of bother after losing both their first 2 games in UAE against KKR and CSK. They had everything to play for against defending champions, MI. RCB put in a stunning show against MI defeating them with a big margin. This win put their campaign back on track. In fact, they now look like serious title contenders. RCB have separated themselves from the rest of the pack by 4 points. They will be keen to build on their momentum with a strong performance over an unsure RR team.

RR vs RCB: Favourites?

RR suffered a 10-wicket defeat against RCB the last time these two sides met. Their overseas imports are yet to fire in unison. An off-colour Chris Morris hasn’t helped them either. They are overly dependent on Sanju Samson. RCB on the other hand have multiple match-winners in the squad.

Which players will be match-winners in this game?

RR may target RCB’s weakness against wrist spin. Shreyas Gopal may get a look in who boasts of a fabulous record against RCB batsmen. He has picked 14 wickets in six games at an economy rate of less than 6 an over.

AB de Villiers has scored 648 runs in 19 innings against RR, averaging 46.29 and striking at 146.61. He is coming off a brilliant run of form in IPL 2021.

X-factor player:

Liam Livingstone is yet to light up the IPL. This might just be the game.

Wanindu Hasaranga has wood over Sanju Samson. RCB must look to field him against RR.

Probable Playing XI:

Rajasthan Royals predicted XI:

Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Liam Livingstone, Mahipal Lomror, Riyan Parag/Shivam Dube, Chris Morris, Rahul Tewatia, Jaydev Unadkat/Shreyas Gopal, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman

Royal Challengers Bangalore predicted XI:

Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Srikar Bharat, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammad Siraj, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal

What do stats say about RR vs RCB?

RR and RCB have played 24 IPL games against each other.

RR has won 10 games.  RCB has won 11 matches. 3 games have not fetched a result.

RR’s highest score against RCB is 217. RCB’s highest score against RR is 200. 

RR’s lowest score against RCB is 58. RCB’s lowest score against RR is 70. 

Pitch:

The Dubai pitch does offer a bit for everyone. The batsmen can trust the true bounce. There will be swing early on. The early movement was quite evident in the match featuring MI and CSK. But if the openers are able to ride the early challenge then they might be in for a big knock.

Weather Report:

A high of 39 degrees and a low of 29 degrees is expected. There are no chances of rain. Dew might not play a big factor in Dubai. 

Ground stats:

A total of 64 matches has been played at this venue. Teams batting first have won 35 games while chasing teams have won 278 The average scoring batting first at this venue is 144. On the other hand, the average 2nd innings score is a paltry 122. Anything above 160 will be a par score batting first.

StumpsandBails verdict:

RR will be eager to bag 2 crucial points against RCB. But it will be a difficult task for them.