<p>Bengaluru: There’s an air of confidence around the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s campaign this past week, and it’s because they look pleasantly, even if unexpectedly, compact. </p>.<p>RCB put away a well-composed Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets and then ended Chennai Super Kings’ vice-like grip at the Chepauk with a 50-run win. </p>.<p>This feeling of stability is not common among those who swear by RCB, but, surely, it’s a nice sentiment to bask in. </p>.<p>But, before they get too comfortable, RCB have only twice before started their season off with back-to-back wins. The first time was in 2014 and the second in 2021. In 2014, they finished seventh on the table with five wins in 14 games. In 2021, they crashed out in the Eliminator against KKR in Sharjah. </p>.Not right combination but right camaraderie wins you matches: Punjab Kings skipper Iyer.<p>The past is a rabbit hole no optimistic RCB fan wants a peek into. So, to commemorate their surreal optimism, let’s look ahead, and at their Wednesday night date with the Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. </p>.<p>The first thing that pops up when viewing the teams side by side is the fact that the Titans have the upper hand with their bowling. In fact, the Titans arguably have the best bowling line-up this season. </p>.<p>They have Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore and Prasidh Krishna. This is not the bowling unit they are picking from. This was the actual line-up which won them the game against the Mumbai Indias in Ahmedabad a few days ago.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, RCB are working with the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Krunal Pandya and so on. It’s not bad but it only seems better than because they have delivered so far. They do have other resources to resort to in time, but it will typically revolve around this set. </p>.<p>The same principle will be applied to the batting set too, and in this case, it makes more sense because this is a peculiarly good combination.</p>.<p>You have the madness of the kitchen sink-at-every-ball Phil Salt and the more circumspect - occasionally desperate - Virat Kohli at the top. Devdutt Padikkal can get a roll on when he figures out the bounce and skipper Rajat Patidar is playing as if his reputation depends on it. Then you have Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma and Tim David to give the ball the long-lever treatment at the death. </p>.<p>Frankly, it’s a very nice fit because everyone has a role that they’re good at and the management has slotted the cogs right for seamless movement.</p>.<p>Titans’ combination is a bit more trigger-happy with Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler forging the top end while Sherfane Rutherford, M Shahrukh Khan and the likes takeover for the score extension exercise. </p>.<p>All things considered, this is a proper test for RCB, and a nice little challenge for the Titans too.</p>.<p>So, as the lights come on and the City’s traffic comes to a standstill, the most inexplicably loyal fanbase will set shop with a happy homecoming on their minds and a prayer on their lips, as always. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: There’s an air of confidence around the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s campaign this past week, and it’s because they look pleasantly, even if unexpectedly, compact. </p>.<p>RCB put away a well-composed Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets and then ended Chennai Super Kings’ vice-like grip at the Chepauk with a 50-run win. </p>.<p>This feeling of stability is not common among those who swear by RCB, but, surely, it’s a nice sentiment to bask in. </p>.<p>But, before they get too comfortable, RCB have only twice before started their season off with back-to-back wins. The first time was in 2014 and the second in 2021. In 2014, they finished seventh on the table with five wins in 14 games. In 2021, they crashed out in the Eliminator against KKR in Sharjah. </p>.Not right combination but right camaraderie wins you matches: Punjab Kings skipper Iyer.<p>The past is a rabbit hole no optimistic RCB fan wants a peek into. So, to commemorate their surreal optimism, let’s look ahead, and at their Wednesday night date with the Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. </p>.<p>The first thing that pops up when viewing the teams side by side is the fact that the Titans have the upper hand with their bowling. In fact, the Titans arguably have the best bowling line-up this season. </p>.<p>They have Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore and Prasidh Krishna. This is not the bowling unit they are picking from. This was the actual line-up which won them the game against the Mumbai Indias in Ahmedabad a few days ago.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, RCB are working with the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Krunal Pandya and so on. It’s not bad but it only seems better than because they have delivered so far. They do have other resources to resort to in time, but it will typically revolve around this set. </p>.<p>The same principle will be applied to the batting set too, and in this case, it makes more sense because this is a peculiarly good combination.</p>.<p>You have the madness of the kitchen sink-at-every-ball Phil Salt and the more circumspect - occasionally desperate - Virat Kohli at the top. Devdutt Padikkal can get a roll on when he figures out the bounce and skipper Rajat Patidar is playing as if his reputation depends on it. Then you have Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma and Tim David to give the ball the long-lever treatment at the death. </p>.<p>Frankly, it’s a very nice fit because everyone has a role that they’re good at and the management has slotted the cogs right for seamless movement.</p>.<p>Titans’ combination is a bit more trigger-happy with Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler forging the top end while Sherfane Rutherford, M Shahrukh Khan and the likes takeover for the score extension exercise. </p>.<p>All things considered, this is a proper test for RCB, and a nice little challenge for the Titans too.</p>.<p>So, as the lights come on and the City’s traffic comes to a standstill, the most inexplicably loyal fanbase will set shop with a happy homecoming on their minds and a prayer on their lips, as always. </p>