Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, two in-form teams, are set to clash in the 24th match of IPL 2025 on Thursday at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Virat Kohli will face off against Mitchell Starc in what promises to be an exciting battle. Delhi has won all three of its matches so far, while RCB has emerged victorious in three out of four games. The two teams are currently placed first and third on the points table, respectively.
Delhi Needs to Stay Alert
RCB has secured wins in Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai, with their only loss coming at home against Gujarat Titans. Interestingly, the defeat was more due to the unexpected pitch behaviour at Chinnaswamy than any team shortcoming. Meanwhile, Delhi has shown adaptability by winning on different surfaces like Visakhapatnam and Chennai. Though RCB is riding high on Kohli’s return to form, they will need to be cautious against a well-balanced Delhi side.
Kohli vs Starc: A Battle to Watch
All eyes will be on the battle between Virat Kohli and Australia’s speedster Mitchell Starc. Kohli has scored 72 runs off 31 balls against Starc in T20s. However, Starc has been in top form this season, claiming nine wickets in three matches at an average of 11. The powerplay duel between Starc and Kohli could be decisive.
How Will Kohli Face Kuldeep?
Following Starc, Kohli will have to tackle left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who has already taken six wickets with an economy of just 6. Kohli has improved significantly against spinners, especially in playing sweep and lofted shots, which could help him dominate. However, Kuldeep’s variations can trouble even the best batters.
Axar vs Patidar Could Be Crucial
RCB captain Rajat Patidar is in fine touch and known for his skill against spin. Delhi will hope for a more impactful performance from their captain and left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who has bowled 8 overs across three matches without taking a single wicket.
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Focus on Rahul and du Plessis
RCB’s new-ball bowlers, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, have been effective during the powerplay and will aim to contain Delhi’s senior batter KL Rahul, who has adopted a more aggressive approach this season. Delhi will also be watching Faf du Plessis’s fitness closely after he missed the last game. If fit, his experience on this ground could pose a challenge to RCB’s bowlers.
Probable Playing XIs:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.
Delhi Capitals:
Jake Fraser-McGurk, KL Rahul (WK), Abhishek Porel, Axar Patel (C), Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma.
