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RCB bank on batting might

Last Updated 16 April 2014, 18:57 IST

In Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, Royal Challengers Bangalore have enough batting firepower to send any opposition bowler quaking in his boots but their weak bowling arsenal could pose some problems as they strive to win their maiden Indian Premier League title.

It is that bowling department which could be tested against Delhi Daredevils, who will be without their injured skipper Kevin Pietersen, as the two teams go head to head here on Thursday.

Vice-captain Dinesh Karthik will lead the team.

Having spent heavily on Yuvraj Singh at the auctions, the Bangalore franchise was forced to do with the likes of Varun Aaron, Albie Morkel and Mitchell Starc, definitely not the kind of bowlers who would inspire team’s confidence.

Having finished 10th and 9th in two of their last three seasons, Delhi wiped their slate clean and put all their eggs in the auction basket – where apart from picking Pietersen, they bid heavily and won the services of Dinesh Karthik, Ross Taylor, Quinton de Kock and JP Duminy. Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, who will spearhead the bowling attack, will be making his IPL debut for the Delhi side.

While both the pace attacks could do with some help, Delhi start with the disadvantage of not having their talisman Pietersen for Thursday’s match as he is nursing a fractured right little finger.

Having also let go off Virender Sehwag, the top order will contain the exciting southpaw de Kock and M Vijay, who has an abundance of experience in this format of the game. Taylor, Duminy and Karthik will be expected to give the impetus in the end overs.

RCB’s batting will revolve around the genius of Kohli, fresh from scoring 319 runs with four fifties in the recently concluded World T20, and Gayle, who holds the tournament record for most sixers, besides the innovative de Villiers.

Teams (from): Royal Challengers: Virat Kohli (captain), AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Yuvraj Singh, Mitchell Starc, Albie Morkel, Varun Aaron, As­hok Dinda, Parthiv Patel, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ravi Rampaul, Nic Maddinson, Harshal Patel, Vijay Zol, Abu Nechim, Sachin Rana, Shadab Jakati, Sandeep Warrier, Tanmay Mishra, Yogesh Takawale, Yuzwendra Chahal.

Delhi Daredevils: Dinesh Karthik (captain), Murali Vijay, Ross Taylor, Quinton De Kock, Mohammed Shami, Jaydev Unadkat, Manoj Tiwary, Rahul Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jean-Paul Duminy, Kedar Jadhav, SIdharth Kaul, Milind Kumar, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jimmy Neesham, Wayne Parnell, HS Sharath, Laxmi Shukla, Rahul Shukla, Jayant Yadav, Saurabh Tiwary.

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(Published 16 April 2014, 18:57 IST)

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