Royal Challengers Bangalore keen to bounce back

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Halfway into the IPL-5 league stage, there is little to differentiate between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab when the two teams square off at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, here on a possibly overcast Wednesday night.

To label RCB as hot favourites on the basis of their overall IPL record and their thumping five-wicket win in the first-round clash in Mohali will be a little too naïve.

Kings XI may lack in star power but they can spring a surprise as Chennai Super Kings found out at Chepauk a few days ago.

The continued unavailability of skipper Adam Gilchrist has come as a blessing in disguise for Kings XI and under David Hussey, the team has turned out to be a sharper unit.

They have persisted with the overseas quartet of Shaun Marsh, Hussey, David Miller and Azhar Mahmood in the last four games.

So it is unlikely that the composition of the foreign recruits in the eleven is tampered with unless Ryan Harris is drafted in, probably as a replacement for Miller, to spruce up the bowling.

Mahmood’s arrival has dramatically transformed the balance of the side and the all-rounder has already made a sizeable impact with his smart variations in bowling and lusty blows with the willow.

However, Kings XI will be doubly wary about a wounded RCB, coming off a humiliating away setback against KKR. RCB have always emerged stronger from setbacks and it is ideal time for it to experiment with some domestic faces.

With only Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers firing on a consistent basis, RCB have plenty to worry about the rest of the batting line-up, particularly the failures of Virat Kohli and Saurabh Tiwary.