Drama and mayhem are on the cards when fearless Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC) take on each other in a high-stakes IPL 2025 match on Thursday. The outcome will be governed by a clutch of intriguing personal match-ups. The Capitals have three wins from as many matches, and the Royal Challengers bagged three victories from four games.
That record testifies their wonderful shapeshifting ability according to opponents and conditions. Royal Challengers have mastered conditions as distinct as Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai and their lone stumble came at home against Gujarat Titans. It was more to do with a rather out of character Chinnaswamy pitch taking them by surprise than any sudden erosion in skills.
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The RCB will be wiser for that experience against the Delhi side, who have wins at varied Visakhapatnam and Chennai tracks. But the hosts will be a confident group as star batter Virat Kohli made a return to run-making ways after an all too brief blip. If the 22-yard strip here retains its nature from that GT match, then Kohli’s form will be crucial for RCB.
#3 Rajat Patidar vs Axar Patel
Rajat Patidar, RCB’s in-form middle-order anchor, continues to shine with his fearless approach against spin. He has built a reputation as a quality spin-hitter, which makes his battle against Axar Patel a key subplot. Axar, however, is yet to make an impact this season—going wicketless across eight overs in three matches. While this may seem like a minor matchup on paper, it could tilt the momentum, especially in the middle overs.
#2 Josh Hazlewood vs KL Rahul
Josh Hazlewood’s controlled, disciplined Powerplay spells have added stability to RCB’s bowling attack. His main challenge this time will be Delhi’s calm and calculated skipper KL Rahul, who has been anchoring innings with a smart blend of aggression and patience. With a strike rate of 137 and just one dismissal against Hazlewood, Rahul holds the edge—but if Hazlewood can get early movement, this could turn into a fascinating contest of precision versus persistence.
#1 Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Starc
One of the most anticipated duels of IPL 2025 is set to unfold when Virat Kohli faces off against Mitchell Starc. Kohli has historically dominated this matchup in T20s, having hammered 72 runs off just 31 balls against the Australian speedster. But this season, Starc has been a different beast—lethal with the new ball, picking up nine wickets in just three games at an average of 11. The Powerplay phase will be crucial for both sides, and Kohli’s early rhythm against Starc’s fiery pace could well shape RCB’s innings.
