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Royal Challengers Bengaluru will hope to break their three-match losing streak at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, when they face Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. The Rajat Patidar-led side faces pressing issues, particularly in their bowling attack, with spin bowling being a significant area of concern.
RCB, having been dominant on their travels with five consecutive away wins, are struggling to find their rhythm at home. Their recent losses at M Chinnaswamy have seen their batters fail to set defendable totals, leaving the bowlers with too much to do. The team’s best chance to regain form at home lies against a Rajasthan Royals side that has struggled throughout the season, sitting at ninth place with only two wins and six losses. RR have lost several close matches, which adds further pressure on them going into this encounter.
A key worry for RCB is the underperformance of their spinners at home. In stark contrast to their impressive form away from home, where they have taken 15 wickets in 15 overs with an average of 35.1 and an economy rate of 8.5, their spin attack at M Chinnaswamy has been lacklustre. In 15 overs at home, the spinners have claimed only a single wicket, with an alarming economy rate of 9.6 and an average of 144.
Krunal Pandya, in particular, has had a tough time bowling in Bangalore. Despite strong performances away, including 3/29 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), 0/26 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and a brilliant 4/45 against Mumbai Indians (MI), his form at home has been dismal. In his only home outing so far at M Chinnaswamy, Krunal went wicketless in six overs, conceding runs at a staggering economy rate of 10.50.
In terms of overall figures, Krunal has been more successful on the road, with 10 wickets in 18 overs at an economy rate of 8.55. However, his struggles at home are evident, and RCB will be hoping for a turnaround in this crucial match.
Alongside Krunal, Suyash Sharma (four wickets in seven matches at an average of 56.50) and Liam Livingstone (two wickets in seven matches at an average of 38.00) have also had underwhelming performances, further highlighting the challenge RCB faces.
As they take the field at M Chinnaswamy, the big question remains: Can RCB’s spinners rise to the occasion and provide the home crowd with a much-needed victory? Only time will tell.
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