Written by Maverick White for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
Delhi Daredevils vs Royal Challengers Bangalore | Thursday 17 April | Sharjah | 16:30
It’s no secret that the Indian Premier League is a firm fan of fireworks, Sharjah set to host an explosive encounter on Thursday evening. The Royal Challengers Bangalore draw comparison to football’s Holland of 1974, or the All Blacks prior to 2011. They inevitably enter the tournament among the favourites, with big names on paper and a batting lineup that boasts the best in the world. This year is no different, but the 2009 and 2011 runners-up will not simply be seeking improvement. They have missed the playoffs for two years running and the Bangalore faithful will stand for nothing less than a trophy this year. The Daredevils, however, begin the tournament with a clean slate. They retained none of their players prior to the auction following their wooden spoon performance last year, and once one has hit rock bottom, the only direction left to travel is up.
To Win
Daredevils 5/4
Tie 35/1
Royal Challengers 13/20
Delhi Daredevils
It’s not entirely a rebirth for the Delhi Daredevils, though readers will need to reflect back to 2012 to remember Kevin Pietersen helping the side through to the playoffs. He scored 305 runs in the eight matches he played, including a century, but was ruled out of IPL 2013 with a knee injury. The Daredevils forked out $1.5 million for his services at this year’s auction, using one of their Right-To-Match cards after they failed to retain any players. Pietersen was one of a few big money buys from Delhi, who paid $2.08 million for Dinesh Karthik and $833 000 for Murali Vijay. Followers of the Indian Premier League will remember KP in the red of the Royal Challengers; surely a man reputed for producing his best in the face of criticism will feel he has something to prove against his old franchise?
The Daredevils have not merely bolstered their playing squad. Gary Kirsten, a man with a World Cup and Test championship mace to his coaching credentials, has joined the side and will be tasked with overseeing KP’s reign as captain. One feels that if any man is equipped with the skill set needed to temper the overzealous Pietersen, Kirsten fits the bill. The Daredevils batting department is solid, with Murali Vijay partnered by either Pietersen or de Kock. If the latter, KP will bat three with Karthik at four and either Ross Taylor or JP Duminy to follow. They possess either Saurabh or Manoj Tiwary to slot into the middle-order, with allrounders such as Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Wayne Parnell, Jimmy Neesham and Nathan Coulter-Nile to come. Where the Daredevils fall short is with spin options. With Mohammed Shami, Coulter-Nile and Parnell, the seam department is adequate. But the likes of Rahul Sharma and Shahbaz Nadeem don’t inspire confidence on turning tracks, especially in the UAE. Duminy may find himself with some extra work, his off-spin a useful addition to the Daredevils’ arsenal.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
While Bangalore enter the tournament packed with the most talked about batsmen on the planet, that has never been an area of concern for a side who often battle to defend enormous totals. While they spent heavily ($2.33 million) on controversial Indian star Yuvraj Singh, their only other big money buy was Mitchell Starc. Fast bowling is a huge area of concern for the franchise and most will argue that more money should have been allocated to secure the services of a quality Indian seamer. As it is, their attack consists of Ashok Dinda, who leaked 9.48 runs per over last season, Varun Aaron, who is also known to be wayward and Nicham and Patel, unknown quantities in the IPL. Australia’s Starc is a quality performer but his death bowling leaves much to be desired at times, often missing his target with the yorker. Ravi Rampaul provides the back-up in the overseas slot but is not a known match-winner.
For Bangalore, their game-changers reside in a ferocious top and middle order. Chris Gayle leads the charge, his 175 from 66 balls last season against the Pune Warriors simply one example of his IPL pedigree. Gayle inevitably finishes the tournament among the top run-scorers, despite often not making the playoffs. Virat Kohli, either as opener or number three, is the form batsmen in the world right now. He broke the record for most runs in the tournament at the World T20 recently, averaging over a hundred. AB de Villiers completes the destructive trio, possibly the most innovative and quick-witted batsman that has ever graced the game. The order is completed by Parthiv Patel, a wicket-keeper batsmen likely to trade places with Kohli in the order dependent on the match situation and this year’s most expensive player, Yuvraj. No-one will deny his capacity to clear the boundary, nor his use as a back-up spinner. But after batting himself into a hole in the World T20 final, almost costing India the game, pressure will be on him to prove his worth.
Venue
As the IPL begins in the UAE, Sharjah will play host to this fixture. Not many notable T20s have been played at the ground, but judging by a match played in December last year featuring Afghanistan and Pakistan, runs are not the easiest to come by. Dry and dusty conditions should bring the spinners into play. No rain is expected.
BEST: Top Bangalore Batsman, Virat Kohli 2/1
The Indian sensation is odds on favourite, which should come as no surprise following his World T20 exploits. Entrusted with the leadership of the side, this is Kohli’s chance to make a case for himself as the successor to MS Dhoni in the future. I feel this will be a big tournament for him, get on.
VERDICT: Royal Challengers Bangalore 13/20
The Royal Challengers are a bit short for my liking, but all signs point to a resounding victory. They win the spin battle, an area that will be of importance all tournament but especially in the UAE. They also have players in good knick and the best men in world cricket to have in a chase. They usually start the tournament strong so back the trend.
Disagree with Maverick? Let us hear your thoughts. Please comment below.
