RCB vs MI, IPL 2023: 3 player battles to watch out for
The final match of the first round of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) will see the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday, April 2. The fixture also marks the return of the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium, which last hosted an IPL match in 2019.
Both sides come into the contest with the burden of injury concerns. MI will sorely miss the services of ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah while RCB are fretting over Australian speedster Josh Hazlewood's fitness.
Additionally, Sri Lankan and RCB spinner Wanindu Hasaranga will not be available for the contest due to national duty.
1 sleep away but can we really sleep tonight, 12th Man Army? 😬
Lights out and we’re ready for tomorrow. 🙌
#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2023 https://t.co/x8SuzCmjrG
The two sides faced each other in the opening contest of IPL 2021 as well, where RCB emerged winners in a last-over thriller. RCB also secured the win during their last meeting in IPL 2022, a campaign where MI finished dead last.
Despite injury and form concerns, MI will be bolstered by the inclusion of Cameron Green, a marquee acquisition from the mini-auction. Tim David's promising finishing ability is another positive for the franchise, who have not qualified for the IPL playoffs for two years in a row now.
On the contrary, RCB are the only team to have qualified for the IPL playoffs across the last three editions and it is a matter of getting a few steps closer to their elusive trophy.
Here are three player battles to watch out for from the high-profile IPL encounter.
#1 Rohit Sharma vs Reece Topley
The contest between an Indian batter and a left-arm seamer is always bound to be interesting given the track record.
Given the absence of Hazlewood, RCB are highly likely to turn to their IPL 2023 mini-auction Reece Topley to make things uncomfortable for MI, especially in the powerplay.
Rohit Sharma has faced 14 deliveries from Topley in the shortest format across two meetings, scoring 19 runs while losing his wicket once.
The statistical side of things is quite even, perhaps a little skewed in favor of Topley. It would be interesting to see how Rohit deals with the extra height and bounce along with the natural angle.
Shikhar Dhawan ☝️
Rohit Sharma ☝️
Reece Topley has sent back both India's openers in his first three overs.
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Additionally, the England seamer got the better of the Indian skipper during their last meeting. Topley trapped Rohit lbw during England's second ODI win at Lord's in 2022 en route to match-winning figures of 6-25.
#2 Virat Kohli vs Jason Behrendorff
Once again, it is a premier Indian batter up against a quality left-arm seamer in a matchup that could very well dictate the course of play. Virat Kohli is likely to open the innings for RCB this season alongside skipper Faf du Plessis.
The ace Indian batter will be up against a powerplay specialist in Jason Behrendorff. Things will prove to be tricky if the Australian seamer gets to move the new ball around under the lights as well.
Kohli has faced 33 deliveries from Behrendorff over his career, having scored 41 runs, while being dismissed once. The sole wicket came during the left-arm seamer's T20I debut, where managed to dismiss Kohli for a duck.
#3 Faf du Plessis vs Jofra Archer
MI will finally see Jofra Archer donning the blue jersey after acquiring him at the IPL 2022 mega-auction. The England speedster will mean business and will be relishing the prospect of bowling at RCB skipper Faf du Plessis.
The veteran opening batter has not had a good time against Archer in the past. He has faced 64 balls across five innings from the right-arm pacer, and has only managed to score 58 runs at a strike rate of 91. To make matters worse, the South African has also lost his wicket twice to the Englishman.
Archer is bound to steam in with the new ball and wickets in the powerplay is expected to be the main agenda on the cards. This particular matchup might bring the RCB middle order into play, a lot earlier than they would have liked.
Who will win the contest between the two heavyweights in IPL 2023? Let us know what you think.