RCB ( Source :IPL )
IPL 2024 has turned out to be a complete package of excitement and endless twists as RCB has landed into the playoffs after languishing at the bottom of the points table for quite some time. RCB and RR are set to lock horns in the Eliminator while SRH and KKR have set a date for Qualifier 1 of the season.
Back-to-back defeats in the second half of the season saw RR being pushed to the third position after maintaining supremacy for some time. Talking about the same, former India cricketer Varun Aaron spoke about how RCB will be filled with confidence moving into the playoffs while RR will have a lot of doubts.
Speaking exclusively to Star Sports Cricket Live, former India cricketer Varun Aaron spoke on the importance of Virat Kohli going after the IPL trophy this season. “He’s got a trophy to get. That’s what’s left for him. One thing that he’s not got in all these years is the IPL trophy. He’s given his heart and soul to this franchise. The fans love him, and the fans from other teams also love him. But the IPL has been that elusive one for Virat Kohli which he has to get this year. He will want to get that this year, especially after you win six games on the trot and go into a playoff like this. All it does to you is heighten your self-belief, not just his, but the whole team. So they are going to go in with a lot of belief, very contrasting to the Rajasthan Royals who are going in with a lot of doubts. So it’s going to be a very interesting encounter and I completely back RCB on this one just because of the momentum they are taking into this encounter.”
Rayudu shared his thoughts on the importance of the powerplay when KKR meet SRH in Qualifier 1. “I think it’s the openers in the powerplay that comes to my mind for both teams. The match can be decided in the powerplay. Whoever plays that initial part well will have an advantage and also going into the playoffs, it’s like a different tournament. It’s not the same, because the league phase is different. But from now on teams will treat each match as a final, and KKR will be no different. For SRH, Pat Cummins knows Ahmedabad well, he’s had great memories over there. So it will be an epic encounter.”
Ambati Rayudu shared his thoughts on the preview of RR vs RCB. “I think RCB are clear favourites for me, because of the way they are playing and they’ve had a clinical game against CSK and for RR I don’t know if this gap in play will help, this washout would help them in going into an eliminator against RCB who I feel right now are a matured side and every player over there knows his role. So I think RCB are the ones who will eventually go into qualifiers 2.”