IPL 2024 Match Today, RCB vs SRH: The Royal Challengers Bengaluru are desperate for a win as they face Pat Cummins’ SRH on Monday
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2024 campaign, which started with optimism, has descended into chaos, with their bowlers needing a dramatic shift in mindset against Sunrisers Hyderabad to secure a much-needed victory on Monday. Despite boasting reputable players and elite coaching staff, RCB finds itself in at the bottom on the standings, with just one win from six matches. Their struggles are predominantly linked to their bowling unit’s ineffectiveness.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj during the match against Mumbai Indians (ANI)
Throughout this IPL season, Bengaluru’s bowlers have displayed a lack of adaptability and innovation, failing to counter aggressive batting line-ups with varied tactics. Instead, they have relied heavily on predictable variations like knuckle balls and slow bouncers, allowing opposition batters to dominate.
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In their recent match against Mumbai Indians, despite posting a challenging total of 196, RCB’s bowlers capitulated, conceding the target in just 15.3 overs.
Facing Sunrisers Hyderabad poses a daunting challenge, given their formidable batting strength. Hyderabad’s top run-scorers, Heinrich Klaasen and Abhishek Sharma, have been in exceptional form, consistently dismantling opposing bowlers during powerplays and the middle overs.
Although SRH share RCB’s bowling struggles, captain Pat Cummins has been a standout performer, leading the wicket-taking charts for his team with six scalps. His versatility in different phases of the game has been instrumental in stabilizing their bowling attack.
The inclusion of left-arm pacer T Natarajan has further bolstered SRH’s bowling unit, providing control and variation in recent matches. Despite playing on similar batting-friendly pitches, SRH’s bowlers have shown resilience, which could pose a challenge for RCB’s struggling batting order.
While RCB’s batting line-up, led by Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, has shown promise, the inconsistent form of key players like Glenn Maxwell remains a concern. Maxwell’s poor performance with the bat underscores the team’s need for comprehensive improvement.
Head to Head record
Both sides have locked horns on 23 occasions in IPL so far, with SRH marginally ahead, securing 12 wins. While RCB have won on 10 occasions, one match ended in no result. In the previous season, the two sides met only once with RCB emerging comprehensive winners, chasing a 187-run target while only losing two wickets.
Pitch report
The Chinnaswamy pitch has seen a shift in character this season, with a slightly two-paced nature. The average first-innings score has dipped to 180, down from 190.8 in IPL 2021 onwards. This change indicates a new challenge for batsmen navigating conditions in the ongoing IPL matches.
Fantasy XI
Travis Head, Virat Kohli, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Dinesh Karthik, Mahipal Lomror, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan
