In the 43rd game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be locking horns with each other at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. RCB has managed to win 6 games out of 10 they have played so far this season, and are placed 3rd on the points table currently. On the other hand, RR has won 4 of their 10 matches so far, and they are currently standing in 6th place on the points table.

In their last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Dubai, RR suffered a 7-wicket loss. Batting first, the Royals stacked 164 runs on the board, with Sanju Smason scoring another half-century (82 off 57 balls) for them. The Hyderabad side chased down this total with 9 balls to spare. RCB locked horns with Mumbai Indians (MI) at the same venue and while batting first, scored 165 runs for the loss of 6 wickets, courtesy to the half-centuries from their skipper Kohli (51) and Maxwell (56).

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RCB eventually won the game by 54 runs by hunting down the Mumbai Indians on a mere 111 runs. Harshal Patel (current purple cap holder) grabbed 4 wickets, while Chahal and Maxwell picked 3 and 2 wickets respectively. RCB and RR have confronted 24 times previously in the history of this tournament so far, where RCB fetched 11 wins while RR managed 10 wins. The last time these two sides met, at Wankhede Stadium, RCB registered a dominating 10-wicket win. 

Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Given Virat Kohli’s form against RR in their last three matches – 72*, 43 & 72* – they will need a match-up advantage against him. His, and AB de Villiers’s, record against legspinners has always been concerning and that may tempt RR to bring in Shreyas Gopal and Tabraiz Shamsi if Kartik Tyagi still isn’t fit. However, in their last outing, Gopal went wicketless in Mumbai. Mind you, in that game, Devdutt Padikkal had amassed 101* and shared an unbeaten 181-run stand with Kohli.

Probable XI: Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Liam Livingstone, Mahipal Lomror, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris/Tabraiz Shamsi, Chetan Sakariya, Jaydev Unadkat/Sheyas Gopal, Mustafizur Rahman

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

RR’s scoring rate in the middle overs has been very healthy and RCB has been taking wickets in these overs on a consistent basis. One thing that RR’s batters like is pace on the ball. Yuzvendra Chahal and Glenn Maxwell could once again be instrumental. Harshal Patel, the purple cap holder, too has been effective, with as many as 9 wickets in 5 games against RR.

Probable XI: Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat (wk), Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Shahbaz Ahmed, Daniel Christian, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:

Sanju Samson, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell (C), Chris Morris, Harshal Patel (VC), Yuzvendra Chahal, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya

Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:

Sanju Samson (VC), KS Bharat, Virat Kohli (C), AB de Villiers, Mahipal Lomror, Evin Lewis, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Chetan Sakariya