IPL 2021: RCB vs SRH - Virat Kohli vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar & Other Key Battles To Watch Out For

Royal Challengers Bangalore, buoyed after the season opening win against Mumbai Indians will clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on Wednesday. The David Warner led unit lost their opening encounter to Kolkata Knight Riders. The battle between these two sides will be defined by a number of mini match-ups within the larger contest. We look at three such key battles which can potentially decide the outcome of the match.

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1. Virat Kohli vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar 

This all-India battle will be a fascinating contest in the powerplay. Kohli will look to attack with the fielding restrictions but it will not be easy against one of the most accomplished bowlers in the history of the IPL. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has picked 137 wickets in 122 matches at a strike rate of 19.86 and economy rate of 7.27 in the IPL – suggesting that he is a wicket-taker and a master restrictor both in the league. Kumar will test Kohli with a number of slower deliveries, dippers, in-swingers and the one that just holds its line and moves away. Will the RCB captain be up for the challenge?

2. AB de Villiers vs Rashid Khan

This is a mouth-watering contest which can decide the outcome of the match in the middle overs. Ab de Villiers is the greatest limited overs’ batsman in the middle order in the history of the IPL with a stunning record for RCB. He has a strike rate of 159.31 for the franchise. Rashid Khan is the leg break genius who controls the middle overs for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He picks crucial wickets and is phenomenally restrictive. Rashid has an economy rate of 6.24 in the IPL. How will AB line-up Rashid? Will he go against the spin over mid-wicket? Will Rashid slip in the doosra against AB?

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3. David Warner vs Washington Sundar

David Warner is amongst the most destructive batsmen in the history of the IPL and the highest run-getter amongst overseas batsmen in the league. He scores big at the top of the order for SRH at a very high strike rate and is one of the reasons for the consistent performance by the SRH unit. It would be a good ploy to pit Washington Sundar against the left-handed batsman. Sundar will take the ball away from Warner making it difficult for him to hit the ball in the air in the powerplay. The sweep could be an interesting ploy but Warner would be playing against the turn and taking a risk.

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• AB de Villiers
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar
• David Warner
• ipl
• IPL 2021
• Rashid Khan
• RCB
• Royal Challengers Bangalore
• srh
• sunrisers hyderabad
• Virat Kohli
• Washington Sundar