IPL 2022: Multi-faceted Rajasthan Royals start favourites against Royal Challengers Bangalore

Rajasthan Royals’ leadership group were one of the teams that aced the game on the IPL auction table and that has served them well in the two games they have played so far. The perennial underdogs of the previous editions have kickstarted the season with power-packed performances. With two wins from as many matches, Royals captain Sanju Samson seems to have the required artillery, especially in the bowling department, to aim for a few more wins and qualify for the playoffs.

The experience in the side too has served them well. Together, Samson, Jos Buttler, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Trent Boult provide the young Royals ample space to play their natural game. Going into the next game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, that experience and pedigree give them the upper hand.

RCB have experienced both sides of the lottery that is T20 as they lost one high-scoring game against Punjab and came through in a low-scoring thriller against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Though Buttler and Samson’s fireworks have been customary now each season, the spin duo of Ashwin-Chahal has given the Royals teeth in the middle overs. The off-spin, leg-spin combo have displayed guile, consistency and potency to fish out some key wickets during a phase where the batting team looks to build for a launching pad in the end.

The duo did not impress during India’s tour of South Africa, but for Samson’s Royals, they have been quite productive. With five wickets from two games, Chahal is their leading wicket-taker while Ashwin, as the IPL history suggests, has largely been policing the flow of runs. Young pacer Prasidh Krishna has also been impressive in the powerplay with his pace and bounce and has