The last thing the Royal Challengers Bangalore needed on Tuesday was a game to be washed off. While it meant they would definitely get one point, it also left them with a mountain, and then some, to climb in order to make it to the playoffs of IPL 2017.
With just two wins in eight matches and five points in total, RCB have to pretty much win all six of their remaining games if they are to have a chance of finishing in the top four.
So, only one result will do when they host the Gujarat Lions at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday.
More than anything, what RCB will want is for a full game to be played, without any interruptions.
Such was the rain on Tuesday that let alone a ball, not even the toss was conducted, leaving the Royal Challengers in the mire they find themselves in at the moment.
Of course, RCB only have themselves to blame for losing five of their first eight games, with some of those defeats very much self-inflicted. None more so than the game against KKR, when their powerful batting lineup spectacularly imploded to finish up on the lowest ever total in IPL history.
RCB would have been waiting desperately to make up for that pathetic effort on Tuesday against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, and now while they have been made to wait a couple more days, the Gujarat Lions will be wary of a wounded RCB bouncing back in style.
No team is capable of entertaining with the bat more than the Royal Challengers Bangalore – unsurprising when you have Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB De Villiers in the lineup.
However, none of those strokemakers have been helped by a really slow pitch at the Chinnaswamy, which has in turn wiped out their real strength, and allowed other teams to come into play a little bit more.
The Gujarat Lions will hope the moisture from all the rain would not have changed the nature of the pitch – although the GL batting lineup, on their day, can destroy any bowling attack as well – because they are just as desperate as RCB to pick up a win.
With just two victories in seven, the Gujarat Lions are also very much in must-win mode, which only makes this game all that more interesting.
While RCB will bank on the likes of Kohli, Gayle and De Villiers, GL will want Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina and Aaron Finch, if he plays, to step up their games with the bat.
If the pitch remains the same, the batting becomes all the more important. Put on an above par score and ask your bowlers to defend the total.
When and where to watch live
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Gujarat Lions is scheduled for an 8pm IST start.
Live Streaming and TV Information for IPL 2017 Match 31.
India: TV: Sony Max, Sony Six, Sony Six HD, Sony ESPN, Sony ESPN HD. Live Streaming: Hotstar.
UK: TV: Sky Sports 3. Live Streaming: Watch Sky Sports.
USA: TV: Willow TV. Live Streaming: Willow TV Online.
South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa: TV: SuperSport Two. Live Streaming: SuperSport Live Video.
Middle East: TV: OSN Sports Cricket HD. Live Streaming: OSN Play.
International: Live Streaming: Cricketgateway.
