The two teams are languishing at the bottom half of the table and need a win to keep alive their remote Play-off chances.
Seeking home comforts after multiple reverses at the Ferozshah Kotla, Delhi Capitals will be desperate to buck the trend when they take on a rejuvenated Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League, in Delhi, on Saturday.
Rajasthan Royals head coach Paddy Upton termed their final league encounter of the IPL against Kolkata Knight Riders as a virtual quarter-final as it would decide on their team's chances of getting into play-offs.
Neither side will be at full strength, as a string of first-team players will be missing due to injuries, when India and New Zealand meet in the opening match of the ODI series on Wednesday in Hamilton.
Delhi Daredevils will be aiming to display more impact in their batting department as they face a formidable challenge from defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL encounter, in Hyderabad, on Wednesday.
Delhi Capitals assistant coach Mohammad Kaif has pointed out that IPL teams are replacing poor fielders with agile ones during games and hoped that the umpires will take notice of this unfair practice.
Focus will now be on how Rabada would fare against the likes of Chris Gayle, Lokesh Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and David Miller.
Gujarat left-arm spinner Akshar Patel was recalled to the Indian squad for the last two One-Day Internationals against West Indies, while senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin continues to be rested.
Mumbai defeated Uttar Pradesh by 46 runs in their last Super League Group B game, but that was not enough for them to find a place in the finals.
Parthiv Patel was unlucky to miss out despite a fine showing in the Test series against England as the selectors preferred to recall Wriddhiman Saha for the one-off Test against Bangladesh.
West Indies' wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin's century went in vain as they slumped to a 16-run loss against India 'A' in their second and final warm-up 50-over match ahead of the five-match ODI series against India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
Cheteshwar Pujara waged a lone battle with a fighting 86 but Rest of India's batting line-up floundered against Gujarat's bowling attack and were pushed against the ropes by the newly-crowned Ranji Trophy champions.
Will get money's worth if Gayle, Yuvi can win even two games, says Sehwag
'We understood that once we get a couple of wickets, it's gonna be a downslide pretty quick'
India captain Virat Kohli maintained his red-hot form as he and Murali Vijay struck fine centuries to help the hosts overtake England on day three of the fourth Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, on Saturday.
A clinical Rajasthan Royals shot out Royal Challengers Bangalore for a paltry 70, the third lowest total in the Indian Premier League history, and then romped to a six-wicket victory in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Australia 'A' batsmen again showed their prowess in tackling spin on a difficult track as they comfortably beat India by three wickets to enter the final of the tri-series tournament, in Chennai, on Monday.
Not too worried about sledging, stylish batsman Ajinkya Rahane, on Monday said the India team has plans in place for each of the Australian players and would look to play attacking cricket during the four-Test series, starting on Thursday in Pune.
Half-centuries from Ankit Bawne and Chirag Khurana frustrated Karnataka and helped Maharashtra finish the opening day on a respectable 272 for five in the Ranji Trophy final in Hyderabad.
Rajasthan Royals are in a similar situation like last year when they were one win away from qualifying for the play-offs of Indian Premier League but were knocked out by Mumbai Indians and the team members have talked about it, said Stuart Binny in Mumbai, on Wednesday.
After snapping their losing streak with a win over Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals will now look to keep themselves on course for a play-off berth with another dominating show against an inconsistent Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League game.
Pushed to the bottom of the heap after three successive losses, it will take an extraordinary effort from Royal Challengers Bangalore to overpower table-toppers Rajasthan Royals when the two sides clash in an Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on Friday.
Mumbai Indians thump Delhi Daredevils by 146 runs in an IPL match in New Delhi on Saturday.
Delhi Daredevils' hopes of reaching the play-offs have become slender after five losses from seven matches but their batsman Sanju Samson today said that his side need to keep going and play with a positive mindset in the remainder of the Indian Premier League.
A rampaging Kolkata Knight Riders stand in the way of Delhi Daredevils' revival plan as the two teams, with contrasting runs so far, gear up to clash in an Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture in Kolkata on Friday.
The breakdown in communication between national selectors, led by chairman Chetan Sharma, and the team management comprising skipper Virat Kohli over Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran's contentious selection, is not the first such instance in Indian cricket.
Images from Day 2 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia in Dharamsala, on Sunday.
Images from Day 1 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia in Dharamsala, on Saturday.
Images from Day 3 of the third Test between India and Australia in Ranchi on Saturday.
India's selectors went on expected lines, leaving out former champions while giving the nod to top performers in domestic circuit in the 30-man probables' list for the 2015 World Cup.
Images from Thursday's IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Dubai.
India keen to take down Australia for perfect end to season.
Quinton de Kock continued his preparation for the upcoming 72-day tour of India in brilliant fashion, smashing a hundred that put South Africa 'A' in control against India 'A' on the second day of the first unofficial Test in Wayanad, Kerala, on Wednesday.
Back in the mix after one and half years, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha justified the selector's faith by rocking Australia A top-order with three quick wickets as the visitors reached 185 for four against India A at stumps on the second day of the first unofficial cricket Test in Chennai.
Swashbuckling batsman Virender Sehwag, who announced his retirement from international cricket, will be the star attraction as Haryana takes on Karnataka in a Group A Ranji Trophy match, starting in Mysuru, on Thursday.
Without the captaincy, can the cricketer keep his place at the endorsement table?
New Zealand's power-hitter Corey Anderson conjured up an astonishing 95-run knock under tremendous pressure to single-handedly power Mumbai Indians to the IPL play-offs.
Pawan Negi, who became a household name for his whopping Rs 8.5 crore ($1.25 million) bid, has been released by Delhi Daredevils along with five other players for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Jonny Bairstow's composed 89 helped England survive some atrocious top order shot-making and reach 268 for eight at close of play on the first day of the third Test against India on Saturday.
Kings XI Punjab registered a comfortable six wicket win over laggards Rajasthan Royals
