Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

RCB, DD aim to rise from bottom

HEAD TO HEAD

- Khurram Habib khurram.habin@htlive.com

Both Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challenger­s Bangalore find themselves at the bottom of the points table despite being led by two most seasoned captains in Indian cricket. While Gautam Gambhir is the most successful captain in IPL, having done wonders for KKR, Virat Kohli has been smashing his way into record books, the historic limited overs series in South Africa being his most recent feat.

So when the two lead their teams against each other here on Saturday, sparks could fly. Literally. Back in 2013, the two were involved in a confrontat­ion and had it not been for Delhi mate Rajat Bhatia’s timely interventi­on, Royal Challenger­s Bangalore Tied Total matches Delhi Daredevils they could have come to blows. Gambhir was KKR skipper at that time having led them to the IPL title a year back. He was supposedly the India captain-inwaiting. Kohli was in his first season as RCB captain.

However, what followed was Amit Mishra, who has 74 wkts and averages 24.83 in 72 innings, needs one wkt to become first DD bowler to take 75 wickets in IPL. AB de Villiers, who has scored 2,924 runs in 96 innings, needs 76 runs to become the third batsman from RCB to score 3000 runs in the IPL. Gambhir’s decline in India colours and the rise of Kohli even though an IPL title for him remained a mirage. The youngster clinched Indian cricket’s most coveted role even as Gambhir kept the KKR ship sailing smoothly towards another title.

That they are successful leaders goes without doubt. But they have failed to galvanise their boys. While RCB sit in seventh position, Daredevils are at the bottom. Both have played four games each and have just one victory to show. Interestin­gly, their lone wins have come on the back of individual brilliance — Jason Roy playing a blinder to help DD surmount a huge MI total and AB de Villiers scoring a fifty to see RCB through against KXIP.

Neither Quinton de Kock nor Brendon McCullum has been able to click for RCB.

Daredevils too haven’t got things sorted. Gambhir played one knock of substance but it was clear that he can only hold one end up and needs the likes of Roy to give a blistering start. Gayle took 58 balls to score his hundred, the slowest of his six IPL hundreds. In fact, only one of Gayle’s 21 T20 tons has been slower

BANGALORE:

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