The 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) play-off race is all but done as Royal Challengers Bangalore get ready to host Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday.
With their 16-run loss to Delhi Capitals on Sunday, RCB can bid goodbye to any slim hopes of making the play-offs, although mathematically, Virat Kohli and his men can still finish in the top-four.
For Rajasthan, however, a second play-off qualification in a row still remains in sight despite the ever-tightening race for the remaining two spots.
NO ROOM FOR ERROR FOR RAJASTHAN
While defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals have confirmed their place in the play-offs, there are as many as five teams vying for the third and fourth spots. Of them, Mumbai Indians seem the best placed to advance with their two-point lead over the remaining four teams in the fray – Rajasthan, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Of the four teams tied on 10 points apiece, Rajasthan are the worst-off currently with their dismal net run-rate and as such, have it all to do. Steve Smith and his men will need to win both their remaining fixtures at any cost if they are to make the play-offs with even one false misstep enough to bring the curtains down on their campaign.
SMITH’S LAST HURRAH
Tuesday’s clash at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will be the final IPL 2019 appearance for Rajasthan skipper Steve Smith who will depart to join Australia’s 2019 World Cup training camp.
The Australian batsman has come into his own since replacing Ajinkya Rahane as the Rajasthan skipper with two fifties in his last four outings. The right-hander has marshalled his troops well since donning the captaincy hat with Rajasthan registering three victories in four games under his tenure.
With Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes having already left for England duty, the onus on Smith to deliver for Rajasthan has become even greater. The Aussie will want to sign off the IPL on a high and will be desperate to give Rajasthan a fighting chance ahead of their final league fixture against Delhi Capitals.
Smith’s final outing. Image – @rajasthanroyals/Twitter.
NOTHING TO LOSE FOR RCB
“The important thing now, even in the last two games we’ve got, is to just go out there and have fun,” RCB skipper Virat Kohli stated after the team’s loss to Delhi on Sunday.
With play-off qualification now an improbable dream, there isn’t really anything to play for when it comes to the Royal Challengers. As such, Kohli and his men now become a dangerous opponent for any side still hoping to seal a top-four berth.
Their failure to register a single victory in their first six games has proved to be costly with the resurgence coming too late. The fact that their in-form all-rounder Moeen Ali returned to England did not help their cause against Delhi either.
With two games still to play, expect RCB to ring in the changes and give fringe players an opportunity. That could mean the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Colin de Grandhomme could get a chance to feature in the playing XI on Tuesday.
Nothing really to lose for RCB. Image – @IPL/Twitter.
LIKELY XIs
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (c), Parthiv Patel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, AB de Villiers, Colin de Grandhomme, Akshdeep Nath, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Rajasthan Royals: Ajinkya Rahane, Liam Livingstone, Steve Smith (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Ashton Turner, Riyan Parag, Stuart Binny, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Aaron, Oshane Thomas.
