IPL 2021: 5 batsmen who have enjoyed batting against RCB in the IPL
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are one of the most followed teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Although they have never won the competition, the franchise has a loyal fanbase that always backs the team.
The Bengaluru-based franchise has been home to some of the best batsmen in the world like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Shane Watson, Yuvraj Singh and many others. However, in the previous editions of the IPL, fans have witnessed that the bowling unit of RCB has let the team down.
Quite a few batsmen have enjoyed playing against RCB in the IPL
One of the main reasons why RCB's bowling attack has struggled is because the team plays its home matches on the batting paradise at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Many batters of the visiting teams love playing against the Bangalore-based franchise, and the numbers of the following five batsmen improve significantly when they play against RCB in the IPL.
1. Andre Russell
Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell has played many match-winning knocks against RCB in the IPL. No RCB fan could ever forget the 13-ball 48* and the 25-ball 65* knocks from Russell against Bangalore in IPL 2019.
The Caribbean star has scored 370 runs at an average of 46.25 against RCB. His strike rate is 215.11, while in just 11 innings, Russell has smashed 25 fours and 35 sixes.
2. Kieron Pollard
Another West Indian star to be a part of this list is Mumbai Indians' Kieron Pollard. The right-handed batsman has played 23 innings against RCB, scoring 544 runs at an average of 38.85.
Pollard's strike rate rises from 150.87 to 164.84 when he plays against Bangalore. He has three half-centuries against RCB, and so far in his IPL career, Pollard has hit 41 fours and 32 sixes versus the Royal Challengers.
3. Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya made his IPL debut against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2015. The all-rounder played a fantastic cameo of 16 runs from six deliveries in his first-ever IPL innings.
Since then, Pandya has played 12 games against RCB, scoring 230 runs at a strike rate of 163.12. Interestingly, he has remained unbeaten seven times in 12 innings. Pandya's batting average rises from 27.47 to 46 when playing against the Bangalore-based franchise.
4. David Warner
David Warner has been one of the most consistent performers against RCB in IPL history. The left-handed batsman has played 19 innings against Bangalore, aggregating 754 runs at a strike rate of 160.42.
Most famously, Warner stitched up a record opening partnership of 185 runs with Jonny Bairstow against RCB in 2019. The Sunrisers Hyderabad star has scored one century and eight fifties versus the Royal Challengers.
5. KL Rahul
Former Royal Challengers Bangalore star KL Rahul has enjoyed playing against his former IPL team since his release. Rahul has amassed 462 runs in nine innings at a splendid average of 92.46 against the Bangalore-based franchise.
The Punjab Kings captain played an exceptional knock of 132 runs against RCB last year in the UAE. Rahul will look forward to playing a similar knock against Bangalore on October 3.