Royal Challengers Bengaluru appeared to get swept up by the moment as the rain-affected start at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati set up conditions that quickly turned into a fast-bowler\u2019s playground. The toss was delayed by showers, but once it finally happened and Rajasthan Royals chose to bat, the pitch had already shifted\u2014offering sharp movement through seam and swing, especially for pace.<\/p>\n
Phil Salt\u2019s stay lasted no time at all. He was dismissed on the very first ball of the contest, bowled by a searing spell from Jofra Archer. In the same over, Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli also survived edges that could have gone either way\u2014yet both continued to attack, briefly finding success. Kohli, in particular, struck some impressive drives through the covers, but the batsmen\u2019s confidence ran ahead of what the surface was offering, with the Guwahati track continuing to swing and hold its line.<\/p>\n
After Kohli\u2019s departure, Rajasthan\u2019s pressure intensified and RCB\u2019s batting fell out of rhythm. Ravi Bishnoi\u2019s breakthrough was followed by a sharp, targeted moment when Krunal Pandya\u2014apparently unaware of the danger developing around the wicket\u2014misread the situation and found Shemron Hetmyer at long-off off Bishnoi.<\/p>\n
Then Brijesh Sharma, a medium-pacer who looked unthreatening at first glance, turned the game with two wickets. Jitesh Sharma, RCB\u2019s vice-captain, missed an incoming ball and was given out lbw by the umpire. Tim David offered little resistance and became Brijesh\u2019s second scalp. Romario Shepherd also played with the same lack of caution and was removed soon after, leaving RCB further behind.<\/p>\n
In a chase shaped by early wickets and mounting pressure, Rajat Patidar was the standout for RCB. He played with patience for much of the innings, waiting for the looser deliveries, and pounced when the chance arrived. His striking highlight came in the 15th over, when he launched two sixes off South Africa quick Nandre Burger.<\/p>\n
Patidar\u2019s 63 came off 40 balls, but Sandeep Sharma finished the innings\u2019 most durable resistance\u2014his wicket was also a milestone, marking Sandeep\u2019s 150th IPL wicket.<\/p>\n
Rajasthan Royals assistant coach Trevor Penney praised the manner of the comeback after a shaky start. Speaking during the innings, he said the side benefited from some luck early when edges flew around, but they eventually found their way back into control. He also highlighted Ravi Bishnoi\u2019s influence, noting that the bowler contributes heavily both on and off the field. Penney added that the training work has been paying off so far.<\/p>\n
It was also worth noting that the pitch eased out in the second half of the innings. As the game progressed, the ball came onto the bat slightly more, allowing RCB\u2019s opponents to build momentum. Impact Sub Venkatesh Iyer made sure of that late push, finishing unbeaten on 29 off 15 balls.<\/p>\n
With the total set at 201, RCB now face the task of defending it from the front with their bowling. The challenge is heightened by the presence of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the batting lineup\u2014Rajasthan\u2019s top-order talent means no score feels safe for long. Whoever loses on the day will suffer their first defeat of the season. Rajasthan have won all three of their matches so far, while defending champions RCB have come into this contest on the back of two straight wins.<\/p>\n
Royal Challengers Bengaluru appeared to get swept up by the moment as the rain-affected start at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati set up conditions that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"RCB vs Rajasthan Royals: Rain Delay and Swing in IPL","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"RCB face a swing-and-seam challenge in Guwahati after rain delays at Barsapara. Can Rajat Patidar steady the innings for Bengaluru?","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n