RCB vs RR IPL 2019 preview: Can Rajasthan keep their season alive?

This is a match between two teams floating at the bottom of IPL 2019. But this isn’t the best advertisement of this contest. This is a battle between two sides who have plenty of strengths but are also plagued with several issues. One is already out of the play-off equations while the other is hanging on an outside chance. This game is infact a crucial episode in the IPL season 12 saga.

Jaipur ✈ Bangalore

The Royals are back on the road for our 13th game of #VIVOIPL2019! ?? #HallaBol pic.twitter.com/dLZqFvT6K7

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 29, 2019

Team News:

With the English players gone, Rajasthan have lost a major chunk of their strength but they have some worthy replacements in their squad. Varun Aaron looks a different bowler while Livingstone has shown plenty of promise.

Bangalore meanwhile brought back Shivam Dube in the previous game and he should feature for this match as well.

Form Guide:

Rahane and Smith have brought solidarity with Riyan Parag giving the much needed punch in the middle-order. Livingstone has looked good so the batting is reflecting promise while the bowling has seen a lift with Aaron breathing fire. The spinners have been underrated and have done their job well.

ABD is RCB’s key but the man inflicting the maximum damage is Parthiv Patel. The middle-order is still fragile and so is the pace department.

Key Numbers: 

• RCB has won 8 matches while RR has won 10 matches in the head to head battles.

• However Rajasthan has dominated RCB in the recent times with six wins in the last eight games.

Players in focus:

Despite a strike rate of 140.38 and a tally of 365 runs, Parthiv Patel has hardly hogged the limelight in IPL season 12 thanks to RCB’s star studded squad. Parthiv’s key value is in the Powerplays where his strike rate is only behind Chris Gayle in IPL 2019. He will be crucial against Rajasthan too.

With 15 wickets in 12 games, S Gopal has emerged as RR’s highest wicket-taker. Importantly he averages 20.93 and has leaked just 7.30 every over. ABD and Kohli have struggled against spinners in the past so Gopal might be the ace weapon against RCB.