Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow outfit face tall task of plugging the runflow of big-hitting Bengaluru batsmen like Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, and Tim David at the high-scoring Chinnaswamy Stadium today
Virat Kohli during a training session at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium; Phil Salt; Rajat Patidar and Tim David. Pic/RCB's Instagram IPL
After two games on the road, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are back at their beloved M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where they will play two matches in four matches. The first of those, on Wednesday, is vs Rishabh Pant’s LSG, who have blown hot and cold, struggling to eke out meaningful performances from their overseas batting trio of Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran. It isn’t only the batting which has let LSG, who have two wins and as many losses, down.
As well as Mohammed Shami has bowled, he is averaging only one wicket per game though that is offset by a stunning economy rate of 6.25. Somewhat short on striking power, they will be delighted if they can requisition the speedy Mayank Yadav, yet to play this season, and Mohsin Khan, the left-arm quick who has been on the sidelines since turning out in their opener.
Rishabh Pant. Pic/IPL
LSG’s bowling will have to be fully switched on against a mighty RCB batting unit that has touched 240 twice in four outings. Tim David has hogged much of the ball-bashing limelight but it’s skipper Rajat Patidar who is well ahead in both the run-count (195) and six-hitting stakes (18 to the Australian’s 12). Phil Salt showcased flashes of his marauding best in the 18-run conquest of Mumbai Indians on Sunday and Virat Kohli hasn’t slowed down one bit, marrying an average of 59.66 with a strike-rate of 162.72.
Such has been the impact of this quartet that Devdutt Padikkal, the left-handed No. 3, has gone about his business almost unnoticed. The local lad is striking at 201.61, the bridge between the Salt-Kohli opening tandem and the muscular middle order where Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd have hardly got a
look-in.
Kohli did not field during the abortive Mumbai run-chase at the Wankhede with what was believed to be an ankle injury, but he went through Tuesday’s practice session with no obvious discomfort. He also performed a few running drills and looks primed to entertain a passionate home crowd that simply can’t get enough of both the former captain and the rest of his colleagues.
Despite the loss to RR in Guwahati last week, the defending champions are sitting pretty with six points, and will leave no stone unturned as they seek to make the Chinnaswamy, where they are undefeated this season, a fortress of sorts.
4-2
RCB’s win-loss record against LSG across six IPL games
451
No. of runs scored by RCB in just two matches at the Chinnaswamy this season
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