IPL 2017: Top 4 player encounters to look for in the Gujarat Lions vs Royal Challengers Bangalore match
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) travel to the den of Gujarat Lions for a face-off between the two bottom-placed teams in the league table. However, both sides contain plenty of star players and hence there won’t be any shortage of action at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
The onus is on the experienced names to rise to the occasion and help grab the two vital points on offer.
With a victory for either side removing them from the ignominious last spot, the stakes are pretty high for the Tuesday clash. Let us take a close look at the top four head-to-head battles that can have a major impact on the match.
#4 – Praveen Kumar vs Virat Kohli
Incredibly consistent in a format which has been designed to induce fickleness, Virat Kohli’s presence at the top of the order is vital for RCB’s batting fortunes. If there is one chink in his armory, then it could be sharp swing bowling.
Even though Twenty20 cricket does not put a batsman’s skills against the moving ball to a stern test, negotiating the early stages of the innings does not come without its fair share of quandaries.
There are very few better Indian seamers than Praveen Kumar who can swing the new-ball and challenge a batsman’s game around the off-stump. Despite his advancing age, his ability to make early inroads remains intact as evidenced by Gujarat’s last three games. His battle with Kohli can make a massive difference on how the events unfold.