Shreyas Iyer's inspiring leadership faces its toughest test yet when Punjab Kings host an equally upbeat Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League in Mullanpur on Thursday.
But the hosts will be a confident group as star batter Virat Kohli made a return to run-making ways after an all too brief blip.
Virat Kohli's nearly two-decade long agonising wait to lay his hands on an IPL trophy with Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be up against Shreyas Iyer's resolve to make first-time winners out of the tenacious Punjab Kings.
RCB will have to play five games inside 13 days against MI (away), Delhi Capitals (home), Rajasthan Royals (away) and Punjab Kings (home).
Struggling Mumbai Indians will be hoping their batters get their act together and shoulder responsibility when they take on an inspired Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League match in Mumbai on Monday.
RCB will look to Virat Kohli not just for runs but also for inspiration as they chase that elusive IPL title -- a drought that has persisted for the last 17 years since the IPL's inception in 2008.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be looking to secure play-off qualification as struggling Lucknow Super Giants aim to stay alive in the tournament when the two sides clash in the Indian Premier League match in Lucknow on Friday.
On Saturday, in the second T20 International against England at Edgbaston, he was at his best, taking three wickets for 15 runs as India outclassed England by 49 runs to seal the three-match series after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Arshdeep Singh's ability to bowl yorkers almost at will and his ice-cool approach in the death overs have made the lanky left-arm seamer an asset for his IPL franchise Punjab Kings.
The appointment of Mo Bobat and Andy Flower and Dinesh Karthik into the coaching staff changed the template, and it reflected in RCB's approach in the auction room in 2024.
Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar said that he will be looking forward to 'getting back stronger physically and with my bowling'
RCB squandered a golden opportunity to seal a top-two finish on the IPL points table.
RCB head coach Andy Flower expressed his confidence in newly appointed captain Rajat Patidar, highlighting the presence of experienced players like Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar as a major advantage for him.
The unexpected 10-day break has left both the RCB and the KKR with different goals to achieve and common challenges to hurdle over.
Virat Kohli notably stayed away from the team huddle during the final timeout -- fueling further speculation about a rift in the leadership group.
Krunal Pandya has been the nucleus behind RCB's excellent showing in the middle overs throughout the season.
The spin all-rounder played a pivotal role in restricting Delhi's batters, including claiming the key wicket of the experienced Faf du Plessis, finishing with figures of 1/28.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar didn't mince words when he categorically said that 'things could have been different' had Aiden Markram's catch been taken or a couple of close run-outs been effected in the team's five-wicket defeat against South Africa on Sunday.
The experienced seamer, however, refused to read too much into their forgettable bowling display at the Feroz Shah Kotla and expressed optimism about a strong comeback in the second match.
Royal Challengers Bangalor will attempt to break a 17-year jinx at the Chepauk stadium when they face Chennai Super Kings in the IPL match on Friday.
Arshdeep Singh credits his success in the T20 World Cup to senior pace bowling partner Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who he said has been creating relentless pressure in the Powerplay overs which has made it easier for him to get wickets.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded four runs in the 19th over as the West Indies fell short by eight runs in an exciting finish.
Rohit Sharma has managed just 38 runs in four matches at an average of 9.50 in IPL 2025.
Gujarat Titans were uncharacteristically sloppy in the field, missing four chances -- including three catches and a stumping.
India captain Rohit Sharma acknowledges bowling in the death overs remains a concern for them but backed Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel to regain their mojo ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia next month.
Bhuvneshwar has leaked quite a lot of runs at the death in the last few matches.
The standout performers for DC with the ball were Kuldeep Yadav (2-17 in 4 overs) and Vipraj Nigam (2-18 in 4 overs).
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting expressed disappointment with his team's batting performance in their seven-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore in an IPL match.
Virat Kohli remains the biggest draw as he returns to his 'home ground' at the back of five half-centuries in nine games. Four of them have come away from the Chinnaswamy Stadium and despite being in the opposition camp, the Delhi crowd will be hoping the Indian superstar extends his prolific run in the tournament.
Virat and Krunal inspired Bengaluru to the top of the table by stitching up an impeccable 119-run stand to safely guide the Royal Challengers through the turbulent phase.
'As a captain and a player, he never played for a draw, he always wanted to win.'
Along with his ability to adapt, the high release point makes Hazlewood a tricky customer to deal with on any kind of surface, as it allows him to find that disconcerting extra bounce.
Singh was undergoing treatment, including chemotherapy, at the All Institute of Medical Science here after consulting doctors in the UK.
'I will continue to donate blood till I am healthy.'
Virat Kohli opened up on his batting methodology, saying his focus remains on analysing the conditions and rotating the strike.
The young left-arm pacer held his nerve in a tense finish to bowl RCB to a narrow two-run victory in a high-scoring game.
Former champions Rajasthan Royals (RR), who suffered a heart-wrenching 11-run defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday, are virtually eliminated from the playoff contention in IPL 2025.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Josh Hazlewood says the lack of a strong powerplay segment added to RCB's woes in the IPL match against Punjab Kings in Bengaluru on Friday.
He also got clobbered along the way but was always in contention for wickets and weaved his magic particularly at the backend of the innings.
Nupur Nagar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar's wife, took to social media to share heartwarming pictures of the gathering, simply captioning them "Hum Sath Sath hain!!"
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances