Sanju Samson's Rajasthan Royals will face a crucial test of character as they aim to halt a shocking decline in their performance when they take on the formidable Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a do-or-die IPL Eliminator on Wednesday.
At one point, the Royals seemed poised for a top-place finish in the league stage. However, a string of four defeats and a washout in their last game against Kolkata Knight Riders resulted in Sanju Samson's side finishing third, behind Sunrisers Hyderabad.
In stark contrast, RCB have staged a remarkable comeback from the brink of elimination. After losing seven of their first eight games this season, the team led by Faf du Plessis hit a dream run and recently knocked out defending champions Chennai Super Kings to secure a playoff berth.
While Rajasthan Royals are reeling from four losses and a rained-off game, RCB have notched up six consecutive wins, sending a clear message that they are serious contenders in the playoffs.
The 2008 IPL champions, Rajasthan Royals, now find themselves as the underdogs, a surprising twist given they were red-hot favorites just a couple of weeks ago.
When in form, Rajasthan Royals have shown they are nearly unbeatable. However, the last four games have revealed weaknesses in both their batting and bowling departments.
The departure of Jos Buttler has significantly reduced their batting firepower, placing additional pressure on Yashasvi Jaiswal (348 runs), skipper Samson (504), and Riyan Parag (531) to reverse their fortunes.
Samson and Parag will be crucial for RR, but Jaiswal's innings will probably be the most important at the top. Shimron Hetmyer is expected to return for the contest, providing much-needed solidity to the lower order, which has struggled to make a significant impact this season.
Rajasthan's strong bowling lineup could be advantageous, especially considering that the venue for the Eliminator, the Narendra Modi Stadium, has not been a batting paradise like other grounds. The 200-run mark has been breached only twice in 12 innings this season, suggesting that disciplined bowling and a strong batting lineup will be key to victory.
On the other hand, RCB's Virat Kohli continues to dominate as the highest run-getter this season with 708 runs from 14 matches, making him a critical factor in the contest.
RCB skipper Faf du Plessis has regained his form, creating a formidable opening partnership with Kohli. Rajat Patidar, with five half-centuries this season, has added stability at the top.
The absence of England's Will Jacks has not significantly impacted RCB, and veteran Dinesh Karthik has been explosive lower down the order with a strike rate exceeding 195.
In their last match, left-arm seamer Yash Dayal delivered a brilliant final over against CSK, securing RCB's place in the playoffs. Dayal's performance this year has been a testament to his resilience, particularly after a challenging previous season.
Team News
Shimron Hetmyer was initially declared fit for the previous fixture against the Kolkata Knight Riders but wasn't part of the XI named by the Royals before the game was washed out. In all likelihood, he should be back in the lineup for this do-or-die encounter.
For RCB, any change to their winning combination is unlikely, considering they'd be aiming for their 7th consecutive win.
Head-to-head record
The two teams have faced each other 31 times in the past, with RCB edging the head-to-head record with 15 wins to Rajasthan's 13. 3 matches have ended as No Result.
Weather Report
It's going to be a very hot evening in Ahmedabad. While there's no chance of rain during the contest, expect a pulsating encounter with temperatures likely to stay well above 40°C at the start of the match.
Probable XIs
RR Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (wk/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal
RCB Probable XI: Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Karn Sharma, Yash Dayal, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Siraj
Full squads
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sanju Samson (wk/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Tanush Kotian, Keshav Maharaj, Nandre Burger, Kuldeep Sen, Donovan Ferreira, Shimron Hetmyer, Abid Mushtaq, Shubham Dubey, Kunal Singh Rathore, Navdeep Saini
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Swapnil Singh, Anuj Rawat, Suyash Prabhudessai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Himanshu Sharma, Mayank Dagar, Manoj Bhandage, Tom Curran, Alzarri Joseph, Akash Deep, Saurav Chauhan, Rajan Kumar
(With PTI inputs)