Gujarat Lions (GL) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Qualifier 1, IPL 2016: Virat Kohli vs Dwayne Bravo and other key battles

The Qualifier 1 between Gujarat Lions and Royal Challengers Bangalore promises to deliver battles that will set the scoreboards on fire as well as flash the bails in the air.

The ninth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has reached its business and and 4 teams are left to battle it out for the coveted trophy. The Qualifier 1 between Gujarat Lions (GL) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) promises to deliver battles that will set the scoreboards on fire as well as flash the bails in the air. The match will played at Bengaluru, which has a reputation of celebrating a run-fest. Nonetheless, if pitched in the right channel, the track can assist the bowlers to dismantle a batsman’s defence. Let’s look at the key battles that will set the soaring M Chinnaswamy Stadium on fire: Live Cricket Scorecard: Gujarat Lions vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2016 Qualifier 1 at Bengaluru

Virat Kohli vs Dwayne Bravo: Kohli scored his maiden T20 hundred against GL, and Bravo was at the receiving end. It was a battle between IPL’s second highest run-scorer versus highest wicket-taker in T20s. And like we see in every other T20 match, the batsman emerged triumphant.

In the second contest between these two teams, Kohli emulated a similar feat; this time he batted at a swaggering strike-rate of 198.18. Bravo’s figures read 3-0-46-0. He conceded 3 runs more than the previous contest, without completing his full quota. The kind of form Kohli is in, it will be an uphill climb for Bravo to get the better of him. However, Bravo is a ‘big match’ player, and it would be unfair to write him off in such high-stake encounter.

Dwayne Smith vs Sreenath Aravind: Smith has plundered 250 runs at an outrageous average of 141.24, which also includes two blistering half-centuries. He has been one of the heartening aspects of Gujarat Lions’s top order. Aravind, on the other hand, has been the cynosure of RCB’s pace attack. Scalping 9 wickets at an average of 19.22, in a batsman-friendly game, is indeed commendable. READ: Virat Kohli then and now: An analysis of the changes since England Tour 2014

Undoubtedly, Smith will go guns blazing and Aravind will bowl tight line and length. Thus, it will be interesting to see who has the last laugh.

AB de Villiers vs Ravindra Jadeja: We have witnessed de Villiers’s superior batsmanship over the years, especially against the spinners. He may have scored heaps of runs off them, but eventually falls prey while clearing the boundary. Hence, he will be pit against the wily Jadeja.

Jadeja has a knack of catching the batsman in the crease with his arm ball. Though such sly deliveries will not bother de Villiers, he might get dismissed as he has a habit of often closing the face of the bat too early.

Brendon McCullum vs Chris Jordon: McCullum has scored 321 runs in 14 matches, at a swaggering strike-rate of 140.17. However, these numbers do not speak volumes about his superlative batsmanship. A big score is due from him, in a high-octane game like this. READ: Virat Kohli continues to defy reality in IPL 2016

He will be pit against pacer Jordan. Given McCullum fires on all cylinders right from the word go, it will be interesting to see how Jordon changes his line and length to dismiss him.

Suresh Raina vs Yuzvendra Chahal: While Raina likes taking leg-spinners to the cleaners, the in-form Chahal has been sending the southpaws back to the dug out. And, while Raina has scored two consecutive half-centuries, Chahal has scalped 7 wickets in the last two matches. This battle is sure to keep the spectators on the edge of their seats.

(Kaustubh S. Mayekar, a reporter at CricketCountry, played cricket at U-16 level. Like his idol Rahul Dravid, he often shadow-practises cricket shots. His Twitter handle is @kaumedy_)

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