Lucknow, May 7:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to rediscover their batting rhythm after a rare collapse in their previous outing as they aim to strengthen their play-off push against bottom-placed Lucknow Super Giants in a reverse leg IPL match here on Thursday.
RCB are currently placed second on the table but remain tied on 12 points with four other teams. They will need to regroup quickly after suffering a four-wicket defeat against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
RCB’s batting imploded dramatically in that match, slipping from 79 for 2 to 96 for 6 in the space of three overs before being bowled out for 155.
Despite the collapse, RCB’s batting this season has largely revolved around aggressive intent. Virat Kohli has been in sublime form with 379 runs, while Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Rajat Patidar have also made important contributions.
With regular opener Phil Salt ruled out due to a finger injury, the responsibility of providing explosive starts alongside Kohli will rest on Jacob Bethell.
Bethell showcased his immense talent during the recent T20 World Cup and it is only a matter of time before unleashes his full range of strokes in the IPL.
Having had a week’s break, RCB will head into the contest fresher than their opponents.
In contrast, LSG are languishing at the bottom of the standings after losing their last six matches.
They were beaten by Kolkata Knight Riders via a Super Over in a tied game, and then failed to arrest their slide as they were comprehensively beaten by Mumbai Indians by six wickets in their previous outing.
LSG’s campaign has unravelled due to inconsistent performances, tactical instability and repeated failures to close out matches.
Key batters such as Mitchell Marsh, skipper Rishabh Pant, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran have struggled for consistency, while frequent reshuffling of the batting order has further compounded their problems. Pant, in particular, finds himself under scrutiny over his white-ball form.
LSG’s batting line-up now faces a formidable RCB bowling attack spearheaded by veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood.
The experienced duo have operated effectively in tandem this season, notably dismantling Delhi Capitals for just 75 on April 27. Seamer Bhuvneshwar has been among the leading wicket-takers, making the most of the new-ball, while Hazlewood has consistently delivered high-impact spells.
Krunal Pandya too has enjoyed an impressive campaign, claiming nine wickets and troubling batters with an effective bouncer variation.
Suyash Sharma and Romario Shepherd also impressed in the previous game, although RCB’s batting collapse proved decisive in the defeat to GT.