The 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) season heads into match 38 with Royal Challengers Bangalore set to host Chennai Super Kings in the first game of Sunday’s double-header.
As fans, watching the action is not the only thing to look forward to – IPL fantasy games mean you have the opportunity to get involved as well.
As the IPL’s official partner, Dream11 runs a daily contest for each game apart from the default format which is conducted per round.
Here, we focus on helping you navigate your way through the former.
BATSMAN
Virat Kohli – Royal Challengers Bangalore (11 credits)
After his exquisite ton against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday, it is hard to look beyond Virat Kohli for the batting slot given that the RCB skipper will be back on his home venue which has been traditionally been a batsman’s paradise.
With his team having no more margin for error, Kohli batted like a man possessed against KKR with his second 50 coming off just 17 deliveries.
The right-hander’s maiden ton of the season and fifth overall has now taken his run tally to 378 while he is averaging exactly 42.
With AB de Villiers a big doubt for the clash, Kohli will need to do the bulk of the run-scoring once again for RCB and the right-hander relishes these kinds of challenges.
The RCB and India skipper will also want to make amends for his side’s crushing defeat to the same opponents in the tournament opener.
Virat Kohli Scored his fifth hundred in T20 cricket.
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) April 19, 2019
Took the onus upon himself in AB de Villiers’ absence.
Kohli’s five tons:
100*(63) v GL in 2016
108 (58) v RPS in 2016
109 (55) v GL in 2016
113 (50) v KXIP in 2016
100 (58) v KKR in 2019#KKRvRCB
BOWLER
Imran Tahir – Chennai Super Kings (9 credits)
While the Chinnaswamy stadium has been a batting hotbed over the years with no other IPL venue recording as many sixes, wrist-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has shown that there is purchase available for the slower bowlers with five wickets in three appearances this season.
However, it is Chahal’s Chennai counterpart Imran Tahir who gets the nod due to his superior control and variations. The veteran leg-spinner is only behind Delhi’s Kagiso Rabada in the wicket-taking charts for the 2019 edition with 15 scalps to his name in nine matches.
While he has been CSK’s primary wicket-taking threat in the campaign, Tahir has also maintained an excellent economy-rate of just 5.67.
He will want to repeat his exploits against RCB in the campaign opener where he picked up 3-9 to help bowl out Kohli’s men for just 70 runs.
ALL-ROUNDER
Moeen Ali – Royal Challengers Bangalore (9 credits)
After a poor start to his season, Moeen Ali has turned around things in style in the past week with the England all-rounder finally coming into his own.
The left-hander has been terrific in his last two outings for RCB which have both yielded half-centuries which have come at an electric pace.
Against Mumbai Indians, Moeen smashed a 32-ball 50 while also claiming two wickets with his off-spin in a fine all-round display. He followed that up with an even better innings against KKR on Friday where he accumulated 66 runs from just 28 deliveries to help RCB post a mammoth 213-4.
The Englishman can always be called upon to do a job with the ball and his five wickets in the campaign so far are testament to that. It is with the bat though that Moeen can inflict the most damage and based on the form he has shown over the last two fixtures, he can be expected to thrive again on Sunday.
#Kohli himself registered a masterful ton but the @RCBTweets skipper believes Moeen Ali's innings was the difference maker 💪#VivoIPL2019 #KKRvRCBhttps://t.co/hRhyk0dqz0
— Sport360° (@Sport360) April 19, 2019
WICKETKEEPER
MS Dhoni – Chennai Super Kings (9.5 credits)
A batting average of nearly 77 in T20 cricket over the course of nine games is largely unheard of but that is exactly what MS Dhoni has managed to achieve in CSK’s stupendous campaign so far.
The veteran skipper has once again been dousing fires lower down the order for his side and has already bailed the team out on multiple occasions.
Dependable is the adjective for Dhoni this season and the wicketkeeper batsman can be expected to maintain his consistency against RCB.
Plus, the Ranchi-born man is the one wicketkeeper you can expect to make things happen from even behind the stumps and as such, his inclusion should not even be a debate.
CAPTAIN – Moeen Ali
VICE CAPTAIN – MS Dhoni
