After qualifying for the playoffs three seasons in a row and narrowly missing out last year, RCB is having a terrible campaign, having suffered five defeats in their first six games. Their bowling has been a major concern, with captain Faf du Plessis admitting that they do not have as many options with the ball. In RCB's last game, Mumbai Indians chased down 199 runs in just 16 overs. On Monday, they will face another formidable batting team in Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Sunrisers have a formidable batting line-up with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma at the top, Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen in the middle, and the power of Abdul Samad and Pat Cummins. They not only have explosive batsmen but also a deep batting order. Earlier this season, they set a new record for the highest total in IPL history (277), surpassing RCB's 263. Additionally, they are the second-fastest scoring team in IPL 2024. Sunrisers' powerful batsmen will relish the opportunity to play against RCB at the Chinnaswamy stadium, where the boundaries are short and the ball travels a long distance.
In contrast, RCB has the third-worst economy rate this season. Mohammed Siraj has had a below-par season, and the spin attack has failed to pose a threat to opposition batters. RCB knows they face a significant challenge when they go up against Klaasen and his teammates.
Du Plessis has stated that it is up to their batters to carry the load. The positives that RCB can take away from the last game are that their skipper and Rajat Patidar found some form, and Dinesh Karthik continued to be effective as a finisher.
Virat Kohli, the leading run-scorer in the IPL, also has an outstanding record against Sunrisers, scoring faster against them than any other team in the competition.