With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi setting the tone through blistering starts, Rajasthan Royals will be looking to keep their momentum rolling when they take on defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a high-stakes IPL encounter on Friday. Bengaluru, for their part, arrive with a batting structure that looks well settled at the top, led by Virat Kohli, whose rhythm in the format has not shown any sign of slowing even after he stepped away from T20 international duty. Phil Salt brings added aggression early on, while Devdutt Padikkal has established himself as a crucial presence at number three, returning to a more fluent brand of batting. Padikkal’s confidence has been reinforced by his domestic performances, which have translated into back-to-back half-centuries and helped shape a strong start for the side. The middle order is supported by captain Rajat Patidar and Tim David, giving RCB further depth once the initial overs have been negotiated.
Still, the most striking aspect for Royal Challengers Bengaluru is the way their bowling unit has been reshaped. Jacob Duffy has made an immediate impact in Josh Hazlewood’s absence, while Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma have done a steady job of containing the flow of runs during the middle overs. Rajasthan’s challenge, meanwhile, will be to match Bengaluru’s control, particularly because RR possess one of the tournament’s most explosive batting line-ups. Jaiswal and the fearless Sooryavanshi have repeatedly provided rapid beginnings, and when that early impetus is paired with disciplined bowling, the Royals look like a complete and dangerous outfit.
RR vs RCB head-to-head
Total matches: 33
Rajasthan Royals: 14
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 17
No results: 2
RR vs RCB: Pitch and playing conditions
A surface offering an even bounce is expected to greet both teams, creating conditions that suit batting and proper strokeplay. It is also the same kind of wicket where Rajasthan Royals struck 150 in an 11-over burst against Mumbai Indians earlier in the week, which should give teams confidence that committed front-foot batting will be rewarded. The likely game plan for batters should therefore stay straightforward: get forward early, play with freedom, and make the most of the ball that sits up. Weather conditions are also expected to be more accommodating than before, helping the match stay on track.
Guwahati weather update
The forecast points to mostly cloudy skies, with a short spell of rain possible in the afternoon. The temperature is expected to reach about 27°C before conditions improve and the evening clears up. By nightfall, it should turn largely clear, with the mercury dropping to around 17°C. Rain is projected between 1 and 3 PM, with the likelihood sitting around 49% to 55% during that window. However, the probability falls sharply to roughly 3% by the 7 PM toss and is expected to remain very low through the match, suggesting that the game should be played under clear conditions.
RR vs RCB live coverage
Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
Start time: 7:30 PM IST
Broadcast: Star Sports Network
Live streaming: JioHotstar
Predicted playing XIs
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande
Impact Sub: Ravi Bishnoi
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Abhinandan Singh
Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma
Full squads
Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Adam Milne, Brijesh Sharma, Jofra Archer, Kuldeep Sen, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (c), Abhinandan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer, Mangesh Yadav, Kanishk Chouhan, Vihaan Malhotra, Vicky Ostwal, Satvik Deswal
