If you have ideas, views and opinions (I am sure you do!) on the #RCBvDC game, tweet them to @PrakashG_CB. I’ll feature the best in this blog. I promise!

TOSS: RCB win toss, opt to bowl. Adam Zampa out due to illness, Moeen Ali replaces him. Mohammad Siraj comes in for Gurkeerat Singh Mann

Questions before tonight’s game…

–Prithvi Shaw didn’t field in the last game. So could we see the first glimpse of Ajinkya Rahane this IPL? He of 3820 IPL runs…

– Could RCB be tempted to bring back Dale Steyn considering Deepak Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the ball to swing in Dubai?

JERSEY UPDATE…

If you see DC in a different-looking jersey, don’t panic or worry…it’s all part of a plan, apparently.

Still early days but a lot riding in today’s game for RCB?

No pressure then, Delhi…

Safe to say, Kohli enjoys playing against Delhi ©Cricbuzz

BREAKING NEWS for you…

Amit Mishra is out of IPL 2020, which means Axar Patel is likely to walk back into the XI tonight.

Two very open dressing rooms?

The one good thing about these two sides, besides the cricket they’ve played this season, is that they’ve chosen to give the outside world a peek into their inner sanctum via videos of post-match anaylsis and speeches. I am not going to give away any spoilers and let you watch it for yourself…

Ricky Ponting’s speech after DC’s win over KKR in Sharjah

RCB’s reaction to their third victory – over Rajasthan Royals

Stand-out performers so far…

Delhi Capitals

Venues change, conditions change but Kagiso Rabada remains the ice-cool operator that this franchise spent good money on. The South African smashed KXIP in the Super Over and is joint-top on the list of wicket-takers. Captain Shreyas Iyer has been among the runs too, scoring 170 in 4 matches.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Devdutt Padikkal has been a revelation at the top of the order. The management took a chance with the 20-year-old, putting the experience of Parthiv Patel on the bench and have reaped great benefit. Here’s the young man’s story, through the words of his parents and coach.

Yuzvendra Chahal has revelled in not having to bowl at the Chinnaswamy and has particularly worked well on his wrong ‘uns. Here’s a detailed explainer on that aspect of his game coming through.

Prelude – Early birds set sights on fourth victory

We’re 18 games down and the 19th one offers two teams the chance to reach halfway through to the magic number of eight wins – often considered good enough to secure qualification to the playoffs.

Delhi Capitals have had an interesting season so far. They began by snatching victory from the jaws of defeat when KXIP fluffed their lines with just 1 to get from 2 balls, allowing it to reach Super Over. They then humbled Chennai Super Kings by not allowing their spinners to settle. They looked off-colour in their only defeat – to SRH – before acing the Sharjah template and doing just about enough to defend their 228/4.

Royal Challengers Bangalore meanwhile have been a breath of fresh air, if you’re an RCB fan. They held nerve under pressure of defending a total against the SRH, resigning their opponents to one of the worst eight-wicket collapses seen in the league. A 97-run defeat to KXIP felt like their old bad habits were creeping up again, but they were swift to recover from it.

Their win over MI shouldn’t have gone to the Super Over, but it did and they still emerged with the two points in their credit, before showing promising tactical nous – as explained by Kaushik here – that should hold them in good stead going forward this season.

RELATED STORIES