RCB Playing 11 vs Punjab Kings- IPL 2024, Match 6

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) takes on Punjab Kings in match six of IPL 2024 at the Chinnaswamy stadium on Monday, March 25. The match starts at 7.30 pm IST and is the first of RCB’s next three home games.

They played the IPL 2024 opener against Chennai Super Kings. However, they came second in the contest as CSK cantered through to 174 in the run-chase. This was the fourth time in five season openers that RCB started their campaign with a loss.

Their very first loss against CSK exposed the weakness in the bowling attack. Despite using seven bowlers they were not able to defend a decent looking 173 against CSK. Playing at home heading into the game against Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore needs to address this issue.

The absence of quality Indian spinners or quality spinners overall has been a major weakness in their bowling attack. Over the years, they released names like Yuzvendra Chahal, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel and Josh Hazlewood. Hasaranga was released despite taking 26 wickets for RCB in IPL 2022.

RCB has been guilty of not retaining their key players for a longer period since 2018. Their release especially of Chahal and Hasaranga became a big talking point when it happened.

Batting-wise they have been top-heavy as always. They traded Cameron Green from Mumbai Indians to RCB to bolster the batting lineup. However, there were not too many returns from the top four with Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat playing the rescuer act. It will be interesting to see what changes they make to their playing XI in the second match. They might be tempted to bring in Lockie Ferguson in place of Alzarri Joseph against Punjab Kings.

Also Read: BCCI goes hard on Harshit Rana, imposes one-of-a-kind punishment on KKR pacer after his feud with Mayank Agarwal

RCB Playing 11 vs Punjab Kings- IPL 2024, Match 6

Virat Kohli

Kohli will continue to open the batting. He scored 639 runs in IPL 2023 and started 2024 with 20 off 21 balls against CSK. He went past 12000 T20I rus in the last game and became the first Indian batter to do so.

Faf du Plessis (C)

Du Plessis will open the batting with Kohli. He was dismissed for 35 against CSK. His dismissal started the middle-order slide before DK and Anuj Rawat scored the runs. The RCB skipper scored 730 runs in the previous season.

Rajat Patidar

Patidar was out for a first-ball duck as his torrid runs since the England series continued. He will look to get back to run-scoring against Punjab Kings.

Glenn Maxwell

Maxwell was dismissed for a first-ball-duck against CSK. He has scored over 1000 runs for RCB since joining the side in 2021. His best year for RCB was 2021 when he scored over 500 runs.

Cameron Green

Green batted at number five in the previous game scoring 18 off 22 deliveries. He took 2 for 27 with the ball and produced an all-round performance. The Aussie all-rounder needs to have a big season for RCB

Dinesh Karthik (WK)

Karthik will slot in at six. He scored 38 off 26 balls in the last game. He was happy with his performance in the last game and has hinted at this being his last IPL season. He is just 500-odd short of completing 5000 IPL runs.

Anuj Rawat

Rawat scored a brilliant 48 off 25 balls and added a 95-run stand with DK that allowed RCB to post above 170 against CSK. He will need to replicate his form with the bat.

Karn Sharma

Karn is the specialist spinner for RCB. He bowled just two overs and went for 24 runs taking just one wicket. He took 10 wickets for RCB last season.

Mayank Dagar

Dagar was used as the second specialist spinner. He bowled two overs for just six runs and looked the best of the lot. He should be given another chance.

Mohammed Siraj

Siraj went for 38 runs off his four overs for RCB against CSK. For his team to do well, he needs to take the wickets with the new ball which is so good at in international cricket. He has taken 68 wickets for RCB.

Lockie Ferguson

RCB might be tempted to bring in Ferguson in place of Alzarri Joseph at home against Punjab Kings. He has taken 37 wickets in 38 IPL games at an economy of 8.66 in his career. However, at the death, he proves to be expensive.

Impact Sub- Yash Dayal

RCB brought in Yash Dayal as the Impact sub against CSK and might do the same against Punjab Kings as well as they have their batting order pretty sorted. The left-arm pacer took one wicket in the last game.

Also Read: Faf du Plessis blames Virat Kohli, and other batters for IPL 2024 opener defeat vs CSK