Rajasthan Royals are placed second in the IPL 2015 points table. While recent results may have brought the team down a bit, their opponents are on a high. With two consecutive wins, Royal Challengers Bangalore are now looking for a hat-trick and will look to further improve from their fourth place in the table. Live updates from the match here:
Shane Watson and Virat Kohli during the toss at Ahmedabad.
© BCCI
Hosts Bangalore have picked themselves up from the bottom-half of the points table and are counting on momentum to further their progress. With wins against Rajasthan and Delhi Daredevils, the team has finally begun showing signs of life. Buoyed by the ruthless bowling of Mitchell Starc - three wickets each in the last two matches, the team has blunted opposition batsmen with clinical precision. The top-three batsmen - Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers - have also begun combining well.
The team would be hoping for a repeat of their performance against Rajasthan in Ahmedabad. Shane Watson's side were walloped by nine wickets in a match that greatly boosted morale in the Bangalore camp.
Rajasthan batting failed to get going against Bangalore in the Ahmedabad match.
© BCCI
Rajasthan though are the most dangerous when the chips are down. And chips are indeed down. Having lost two matches on the trot, the team had to give away its top position when Chennai Super Kings defeated Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday. That this comes after five consecutive wins means the pain would be even more real. A team that has Ajinkya Rahane and Steve Smith shouldering the batting responsibility though can never be too far from a comeback.
Rahane is the leading run-getter this season while Smith has been very consistent. Captain Watson also continues to be a very real threat while young Deepak Hooda's strike rate of 208.9 can power the team to a formidable total. The bowling department will once again revolve around Watson, James Faulkner and Pravin Tambe.
The two teams - Bangalore and Rajasthan - may not yet be level on paper but are surely equal in terms of batting and bowling firepower.
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