High-flying RCB eye third straight win

Overview

When MS Dhoni hasn't exactly been "happy" with the Chennai pitch in 10 years, it's probably safe to assume that Royal Challengers Bangalore, with a bespoke batting line-up tuned to Chinnaswamy, must have had their fair share of adjustments this season. That they have managed to win both their games in Chennai, and remain the only unbeaten team in the tournament, speaks of the crucial role played by the Harshal Patels and the Shahbaz Ahmeds in the campaign so far. This season already looks very different for them but as trends have shown over the years, it's probably too soon to assume anything.

In contrast, Kolkata Knight Riders are coming off a despairing loss to Mumbai Indians. Their amped-up powerplay game seems well-suited to a venue where scoring gets harder at the back end, but the one time their much vaunted middle-order was put to test, it crumbled. How Morgan can safeguard KKR's new-found free-spirited approach to batting from that defeat could define the season for them, and it all starts with this game against RCB.

When:RCB vs KKR, April 18, 2021, 15:30 IST

Where:MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

What to expect: Being the first day game of the season, it will be interesting to note the change in tactics vis-a-vis batting second. Though it's been the preferred option in the first four matches in Chennai, three out of those games have been won by sides batting first. RCB did win while chasing but it was off the last ball of the match.

Head To Head:RCB 12 - 14 KKR. In the last edition, RCB beat KKR by convincing margins in both the league games, including the