IPL 2022: Match 6 - Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Predicted Playing XI against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Ee Sala…? That’s the question every year for Royal Challengers Bangalore, a team that has become a mystery of sorts. They never had the dearth of match-winners, but if the IPL teams were ever to be ranked based on who flounders the most at the time they could least afford, RCB will rank quite high.

With a new captain at the helm and a meticulously strung squad, RCB have restarted their search for something that has successfully dodged them for almost a decade and a half now – an IPL title. The 15th attempt to chase that elusive crown did not start ideally, with them losing a high-scoring encounter against the Punjab Kings, who successfully dwarfed a tall 206-run chase with disdainful ease.

After a couple of days of break, they come against Kolkata Knight Riders, who defeated the defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the season opener and come with winning momentum behind their back.

Here’s the predicted Playing XI of Royal Challengers Bangalore for IPL 2022 Match 6:

Openers: Faf du Plessis (c), Anuj Rawat

The loss in their opener notwithstanding, RCB had some positive takeaways, none bigger than Faf du Plessis’ belligerent assault at the top of the order. So fluent was his 57-ball 88 against Punjab that night, it hardly felt he came out to bat in a new season and not 2021, when he missed grabbing the Orange Cap by a meagre two runs to his then opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Anuj Rawat, the southpaw who has made his name in the domestic circuit, displayed in his brief outing his ability to hit the ball cleanly and confidently. In a star-studded line-up, this edition could well be Rawat’s chance to materialise his domestic exploits into something bigger.

Middle-Order: Virat Kohli, Mahipal Lomror, Sherfane Rutherford, Dinesh Karthik

Virat Kohli dropped his usual approach of building his innings slowly before blasting off towards the end, as he showed great intent against Punjab, hitting two sixes and a four in his 29-ball 41. With Glenn Maxwell (missing out due to his marriage) to be added into the set-up, such an approach from Kohli will only make his opponents worry more. Can he carry on?

Until Maxwell joins the party, RCB will have their eyes on Mahipal Lomror, who has not yet managed to realise his full hard-hitting potential in the league. On his day, Sherfane Rutherford can strike even harder than what his T20 career strike rate of 133.62 suggests. But, neither Lomror nor Rutherford were required with the bat against the Punjab Kings whose bowlers were taken to the cleaners by Dinesh Karthik, who smoked a 14-ball 32, including three sixes and as many fours.

All-rounders: Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Shahbaz Ahmed

While Wanindu Hasaranga struck on the very first ball of the season, he did not have the most memorable outing by his own lofty standards. He was toyed by Shikhar Dhawan and his compatriot Bhanuka Rajapaksa, conceding runs at an uncharacteristic economy of 10.

To the extent of contribution, David Willey’s was even lesser, as he bowled three wicketless overs for 28 runs, while he did not get a chance to bat. However, all three in Hasaranga, Willey and Shahbaz Ahmed add a great deal of batting depth to the line-up as genuine all-rounders.

Bowlers: Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep

Harshal Patel, the Purple Cap winner of the last season with a record 32-wicket tally, was far from his disciplined best against Punjab, leaking 36 runs for the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan.

But he was not alone in being pale; Mohammed Siraj was twice as much – he ended up leaking a whopping 59 runs in his quota, and despite picking up two wickets, lacked the zing he is known for, for the majority of his spell. Usually known to be disciplined, Patel and Siraj sent down 11 wides between them, highlighting a bit more as to how off-rhythm they were on the night. Much like them, pacer Akash Deep did not have a good showing as he returned with figures of 1/38 in three overs.

RCB have historically struggled while bowling at the death, which was an issue that persisted in the previous game. With a much stronger bowling unit this time around, they would hope it was a one-off haunt.