IPL 2021, DC vs RCB Live: Virat Kohli's RCB and Rishabh Pant's DC are all set to lock horns in Ahmedabad. (FILE)IPL 2021, DC vs RCB Team Playing 11 for Today Match LIVE Updates: Match number 22 in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) will witness a battle of equals when Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to face Rishabh Pant’s motivated brigade of Delhi Capitals (DC)today (Tuesday) in Ahmedabad.
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For the RCB, it will be important that the openers- the in-form Devdutt Padikkal (171 runs) and Kohli (151 runs)- continue to provide a solid start at the Narendra Modi stadium.
For Delhi, their opener and tournamentโs leading run-scorer Shikhar Dhawan (259 runs), would be eager to carry forward his fine form, while his opening partner Prithvi Shaw (166 runs), would be looking to get more runs under his belt.
Playing XI:
DC: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Steven Smith, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Avesh Khan
RCB: Virat Kohli(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers(w), Washington Sundar, Daniel Sams, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj
DC XI: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Steven Smith, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Avesh Khan
RCB XI: Virat Kohli(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers(w), Washington Sundar, Daniel Sams, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj
Delhi Capitals have won the toss and opted to bowl first against Royal Challengers Bangalore. You can follow live score and updates of the match RIGHT HERE.
Delhi will miss the services of ace off-spinner Ravichandra Ashwin, who has left the team to support his family in the fight against COVID-19. In his absence, left-arm spinner Axar Patel and experienced leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who had wreaked havoc against Mumbai Indians, will need to shoulder greater responsibility.
Delhi is unlikely to tinker with their pace attack, as Avesh Khan, with 11 wickets from five games has been impressive and South African Kagiso Rabada can do the damage early. The team management can play Lalit Yadav, who bowls off-spin and can also bat, in place of Ashwin, instead of going in for a pacer.
For Delhi, their opener and tournament’s leading run-scorer Shikhar Dhawan (259 runs), would be eager to carry forward his fine form, while his opening partner Prithvi Shaw (166 runs), would be looking to get more runs under his belt. DC boast of a strong middle-order comprising skipper Rishabh Pant (125 runs), Australians Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis and Shimron Hetmyer, who can be highly destructive on their day. In case the openers fail, the onus will be on Pant and Smith to steer the innings.
The RCB bowlers will have to forget the hammering received at the hands of the CSK batters, especially league’s leading wicket-taker Harshal Patel, who was taken apart by Ravindra Jadeja, as he conceded 37 runs in his final over.
Pacers Mohammed Siraj and Kyle Jamieson will have to step up and deliver while spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar, will also have to bowl tightly to contain a strong DC batting-line, full of hard-hitters. RCB could also be tempted to play left-arm tweaker Shahbaz Ahmed in place of either Navdeep Saini or Dan Christian, as the track could be conducive for the spinners.
India's yorker sensation T Natarajan on Tuesday underwent a surgery to treat a knee injury that had ruled him out of IPL-14. The Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer was ruled out of the League last week due to the injury that he originally picked up during the tour of Australia earlier this year.
For the RCB, it will be important that the openers- the in-form Devdutt Padikkal (171 runs) and Kohli (151 runs)- continue to provide a solid start at the Narendra Modi stadium. But the opening duo would need the much-needed support from the middle-order, which crumbled against CSK.
The likes of Glenn Maxwell (198 runs), Ab de Villiers (129 runs), and the misfiring all-rounder Washington Sundar (25 runs), will have to perform in unison against a strong Delhi attack. Australian Maxwell did justify his high price tag in the first few matches and would be raring to go once again.
Mr. 360 has been demolishing bowling attacks in the IPL for a decade now and IPL 2021 is no different. It will be paramount to get him out early or the death overs could become a run fest for RCB. His fellow countryman Kagiso Rabada hasn’t found his lethal best in this edition of the tournament yet, but against RCB and de Villiers would be a great time for him to show his true potential and run-through batting line-ups like we’ve seen him do ever so often.
Virat Kohli’s men have been the team to beat this season, closing some tight games with precision. Against Delhi, they are set to face a stern test at a new venue. However, they will take respite from the fact that even Delhi are coming into the game after spending most of their previous day in travelling.
Harshal Patel has picked up a staggering 15 wickets in just 5 matches so far. Except for the one blemish against CSK with Jadeja taking him to the cleaners, he has been very effective at the death too with 73% of his scalps coming in overs 16 to 20. Rishabh Pant will be the main enforcer for DC in the final phase of the game and he will want to put Harshal off his plans with some big hitting.
Delhi Capitals have had the upper hand against Virat and Co. in the past and will be looking forward to their 5th consecutive win. It's going to be an intense battle as both teams will also look for the spot at the top of the table.