The Royal Challengers Bangalore will play the Delhi DareDevils in the first match of the second Super-Sunday of the tournament this year.
Bangalore (6/4 William Hill to win this match) has already played four games – the most by any team – and won only one match. On the other hand, Delhi (4/7 Stan James to beat Bangalore) looks to be a team on the roll with two wins from two matches and and favourites to make it three.
Delhi has already exhibited that they are a well-drilled and a balanced side. In the first game, it was Virender Sehwag (7/2 Ladbrokes to be highest scorer for Delhi) who decimated the opposition with some belligerent batting, while in the second Tillakaratne Dilshan and A.B. de Villiers ensured a Delhi win. Hence, it seems rather difficult to predict who Delhi’s top batsman will be. My guess is that Gautam Gambhir (7/2 at Ladbrokes to be the top batsman) hasn’t yet got going in this tournament, but had carried a form of his life into the IPL. It could just be the setting which will see him get going.
The bowling line-up was a surprise in the first place. Glen McGrath is conspicuous by his absence and the attack still looks like a well-oiled unit. Daniel Vettori (7/2 Stan James for most economical bowler) is the one bowler who many will be looking at closely, with the kind of performances coming from his stable. He will be my favourite to be the most economical of the lot.
Yo Mahesh had a decent first season of the IPL and may also get a game in place of Avishkar Salvi.
The Royal Challenger Bangalore team seems to be already in a bit of disarray. The side is on a losing spree that is a combination of batting and bowling failures and Pietersen seems a trifle distracted away from the tournament. This could be seen from him not knowing what his final eleven was at the start of the match last time.
The one silver lining from the previous match was the return to scoring of Jesse Ryder (4/1 at Ladbrokes to be highest Bangalore scorer) after having started the season with two successive ducks. Jacques Kallis continues to be one of the favourites to be the top Bangalore scorer (5/1 at Ladbrokes), but my favourite for the same is the ever-reliable Rahul Dravid (5/1 at William Hill)
The Challengers may want to beef up their bowling and they can do that by getting in a bowler in place of Ross Taylor. Despite having an excellent start to the tournament, Anil Kumble may not get the purchase that he usually requires from the Port Elizabeth pitch; instead, one could see the medium pace bowlers do much better. While Kallis’ form with the cherry has been questionable, Praveen Kumar (9/2 at Stan James for being most economical) will be a hot favourite to pick up early wickets.
Tips:
Team: Delhi DareDevils (4/7 Stan James)
Top Batsman Delhi: Gautam Gambhir (7/2 at Ladbrokes )
To Batsman Bangalore: Rahul Dravid (5/1 at William Hill)
Economic Bowler: Daniel Vettori (7/2 Stan James )
