RR vs RCB: Michael Vaughan blames this player in advance if Rajasthan lose to Bengaluru in IPL 2024 Eliminator

England players have left for national duty before the end of the 2024 IPL league stage. Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounders Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, Royal Challengers Bangaluru’s (RCB) Will Jacks and Reece Topley, Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Jos Buttler, Chennai Super Kings (CSK's) Moeen Ali, and Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) opener Phil Salt all have left India.

They have been called up by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the upcoming four-match T20I series in the lead-up to the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024, starting on June 1 in the USA and Caribbean.

This left many furious, including Irfan Pathan, as it disturbed the teams’ combinations in the final phase of the ongoing IPL 2024. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) are the two teams that will be affected by the ECB’s decision, as both teams have made it to the IPL 2024 Playoffs.

RR will face RCB in the Eliminator of the IPL 2024

While KKR is set to face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 21, RR will face the RCB in the eliminator at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on May 24.

KKR’s last two league games were washed out, and they would certainly miss their explosive opener, Phil Salt, in the Qualifier 1 against the SRH. On the other hand, RR has been struggling badly in the later stages of the tournament, losing four games on the trot before their last game was washed out by rain.

Meanwhile, Jos Buttler’s absence has significantly impacted the RR team, and former England captain Michael Vaughan believes that it could be a crucial factor in the IPL 2024 playoffs for the franchise.

Vaughan also predicted that RR will face challenges in the knockouts without Buttler, emphasizing that not having the England opener available is a major disadvantage for the team. The RR failed to qualify for the top 2 positions in the IPL 2024 points table after their final group-stage match against KKR was washed out by rain on May 19.

RR will miss Jos Buttler: Michael Vaughan

Notably, Buttler was in great form with the bat this season, scoring 359 runs at an impressive average of nearly 40 and a strike rate of 140 in 11 games for the Royals. He had also smashed a century in the tournament.

Michael Vaughan was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz: “RCB have got more players in form. Jos Buttler is such a big player for them. Watch his hundred against KKR, he knows how to get the job done under pressure. They are missing their key jigsaw piece.”

Vaughan further predicted that KKR and SRH will play the final of the ongoing IPL 2024 in Chennai. The commentator also stressed that the winner of the eliminator and qualifier 2 will have an extra advantage in the final, having assessed the conditions better than the qualifier 1 winner.

He signed off by saying, “I think one and two, KKR and SRH will play the final in Chennai. Whoever plays and wins on Friday (2nd playoff) gets the advantage, because they play in Chennai. It's not a huge advantage, but it is quite an advantage.”