RR vs RCB: After crying over RCB's win vs CSK, Ambati Rayudu picks 'clear favorites' to win IPL 2024 Eliminator

Former India National Cricket Team batsman Ambati Rayudu has picked favorites among the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) to win the Eliminator of the Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL 2024).

The high-octane IPL 2024 Eliminator is scheduled to be held on May 22 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The team that will emerge victorious will progress further in the tournament and face off against the losers of the Qualifier 1 which will be played between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). While the team that loses the Eliminator will get knocked out of the competition.

The journey of Rajasthan Royals into the playoffs wasn't a tough one as they played some sensational cricket from the very beginning and were at the top of the points table with 8 wins in 9 games. The Sanju Samson-led side looked set to finish in the top 2 and book a place in Qualifier 1, but a series of poor performances along with the washout in their last match against KKR meant that they finished third on the points table.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, on the other, had to work really hard to make it to the top 4. The Faf du Plessis side looked completely down and out when they lost 7 out of their first 8 matches. However, after that, they produced a magical turnaround and won six matches on the trot, including an intense encounter against Chennai Super Kings to finish in the 4th spot in the standings.

I think RCB are clear favourites for me - Ambati Rayudu

Speaking on Star Sports ahead of the RR vs RCB Eliminator, Ambati Rayudu picked Royal Challengers Bengaluru as the favorites to emerge victorious in the match. According to Ambati Rayudu, RCB have the momentum on their side, which RR severely lack at the moment. He said:

"I think RCB are clear favourites for me, because of the way they are playing and they've had a clinical game against CSK and for RR I don't know if this gap in play will help, this washout would help them in going into an eliminator against RCB who I feel right now are a matured side and every player over there knows his role."

Both RR and RCB will be playing the high-voltage match without some key players as the England stars have already left IPL to take part in the home series against Pakistan. RR will be missing the services of match-winner Jos Buttler while Will Jacks and Reece Topley will not be available for RCB.

Meanwhile, former India National Cricket Team pace bowler Varun Aaron also named his favorites for the IPL 2024 Eliminator and he was on the same page with Ambati Rayudu. According to Aaron, RCB have the momentum on their side while RR have a lot of doubts in their camp after back-to-back defeats.

"But the IPL has been that elusive one for Virat Kohli which he has to get this year. He will want to get that this year, especially after you win six games on the trot and go into a playoff like this.”

“All it does to you is heighten your self-belief, not just his, but the whole team. So they are going to go in with a lot of belief, very contrasting to the Rajasthan Royals who are going in with a lot of doubts. So it’s going to be a very interesting encounter and I completely back RCB on this one just because of the momentum they are taking into this encounter,” Varun Aaron said.