IPL Fantasy 2018, SRH vs RCB: 4 suggestions to help you earn big
Had the RCB batting lineup been firing consistently, this would have been billed as a mouthwatering clash by now but unfortunately, things haven't been rosy for the Bangalore franchise.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, have been nothing short of magnificent so far in the tournament, especially with the ball. So how do you manage to fit in the right players for this game? Here are some tips:
Top batsmen vs top bowlers
In an ideal world, the trio of Brendon McCullum, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul and Rashid Khan would have been a battle for the ages but RCB's batsmen haven't been consistent so far.
To compound matters, the wicket in Hyderabad isn't exactly batting friendly even though we did finally witness some runs in the game between SRH and RCB.
The safest option would be to pick Kohli and Bhuvneshwar but that might not be enough for you to win the contest.
You have to consider the RCB bowlers as well into the equation and pick a team that is predominantly dominated by bowlers and all-rounders who can chip in with the ball.
AB - OUT
Not only is he up against the best bowling attack in the tournament, AB De Villiers is returning from a viral fever that forced him to miss a few games.
He was back in action against CSK but was dismissed cheaply by Harbhajan Singh. Instead of spending too heavily on De Villiers when there is a bit of uncertainty over his fitness, it's better to spend on batsmen like Kohli and Kane Williamson - two batsmen who can adapt themselves according to the condition and the match situation.
Also, choosing McCullum can backfire badly against this bowling attack. With Parthiv Patel grabbing his chance with a fifty already, I would recommend the left-hander for wicketkeeping duties.
Even if he doesn't go onto make a big score, he is likely to provide his side a quickfire start at the beginning, which can hand you some vital points.
Given the way Mandeep Singh has played for RCB this season, he isn't a bad bet either and can be backed to score against these top bowlers at the death.
Impact of the leggies
We saw Amit Mishra bowl well for DD in his side's loss at Hyderabad and that probably gives us a hint.
Legspinners have the ability to thrive on this surface. While Rashid Khan is a sureshot pick, RCB have a couple of handy legspinners in their own ranks.
Yuzvendra Chahal and Murugan Ashwin will be vital against this SRH battling lineup after the damage caused by Mishra.
So you don't' need to have any doubts over Murugan's selection for this game. He is going to cost you very less as well which will enable you to pick big names in other departments.
And that's one reason I would advice fantasy players against picking Hales despite the Englishman finally coming good in the previous game.
Dhawan and Manish?
Ever since receiving a knock on his arm, Dhawan hasn't been the same. He started off the season in a bang but suddenly looks out of his depth but this opposition is the ideal one to get himself back to form.
He does like pace on the ball and the likes of Umesh Yadav and Tim Southee will provide him exactly that.
Also, with two legspinners bringing the ball naturally into him, Dhawan can be at ease and might milk the bowling attack.
On the other hand, Manish Pandey continues to disappoint for SRH. He needs one big knock to get himself going but it just doesn't seem to come.
With Pandey being one-dimensional, another flop show with the bat will result in bitter disappointment for you in fantasy, so it's a big NO from my end.
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