Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 42 of IPL 2025 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 24. Riding high on momentum, RCB currently occupy third place on the points table, having won five out of eight games. Their recent 7-wicket victory over Punjab Kings was anchored by a vintage Virat Kohli knock of 73, underlining their strong form.
In contrast, the Rajasthan Royals have endured a tough season, languishing in eighth place with just two wins from eight matches. Their latest outing ended in heartbreak—a narrow 2-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants despite a fighting 74 from Yashasvi Jaiswal.
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Historically, the rivalry between these two sides has been tightly contested. In 29 encounters, Rajasthan hold a slender lead with 15 wins to RCB’s 14. With both teams eager to make a mark, expect a high-voltage clash at the Chinnaswamy.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
RR’s powerplay strategy this season has revolved around Jofra Archer—and not much else. The English speedster has been outstanding in the opening six overs, bagging six wickets at an economy rate of under eight. However, the rest of the RR attack has looked underwhelming, managing just two wickets while going at over nine runs per over. Against RCB at the Chinnaswamy—a venue known for early wickets—RR’s approach needs both caution and aggression, while RCB must be smart about picking their moments to counter-attack.
Probable XII: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Sanju Samson is set to miss another game as he recovers from a side strain in Jaipur. The Chinnaswamy has witnessed 15 PowerPlay wickets across just three matches—more than any other venue this season—yet RR have been exceptional in this phase. They’ve lost the fewest wickets (7), boast a 69.85 average, and score at 10.18—second only to Punjab Kings. With conditions in mind, RR may consider adding an extra pacer like Kwena Maphaka to bolster their attack.
Probable XII: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag (c), Nitish Rana, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Wandindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana/Kwena Maphaka, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal (vc), Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Riyan Parag, Krunal Pandya, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Phil Salt (c), Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rajat Patidar, Riyan Parag (vc), Krunal Pandya, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma
