RCB seek return to winning ways vs GT before it’s too late

Batting stalwart Virat Kohli’s wretched for m would once again come under scrutiny when Royal Challengers Bangalore face table-toppers Gujarat Titans in an Indian Indian Premier League match on Saturday.

Kohli has scored a mere 128 runs in nine matches for RCB this season with 48 being his highest score. His promotion to opening slot in RCB’s previous match after scoring back-to-back ducks too did not yield results as he was out for 9.

Kohli’s form has been one of the reasons for the inconsistent show of RCB who are currently at fifth spot with five wins from nine matches.

The Bengaluru-based team, though, is hoping that the former India captain would return to form soon with captain Faf du Plessis backing him after their last match.

On the other hand, the Titans have been the side to watch this IPL. Whatever they have touched have turned to gold with unlikely match winners emerging every time they were in trouble. With seven wins from eight matches and on a fivematch winning steak, the Titans are the clear favourites to win Saturday’s match.

If they do that, they will virtually book a play-off berth. In their previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Titans were struggling in a stiff chase of 196 but Rashid Khan, known more for his leg-spin exploits, and proven finisher Rahul Tewatia struck four sixes in the last over to steal the match from their opponents.

It is not that RCB do not have the batting depth but the problem for them is that they have not fired as a team on many occasions. Besides, Kohli’s struggle, Australian Glenn Maxwell has blown hot and cold so far with just 124 runs from six matches and with one half century.

RCB also have firepower in bowling in death-over specialist Harshal Patel, the equally successful Sri Lankan Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva (13 wickets) and along with quality pacers like Mohammed Siraj and Josh Hazlewood, they can stop the Titans’ batters on their tracks. If they do that, and the maestro Kohli clicks with the bat, it can be anybody’s game on Saturday.