The Rajat Patidar-led RCB has been impressive this season, winning three out of its four matches. It is currently third on the points table. Its last game saw it defeat Mumbai Indians by 12 runs, with standout performances from Virat Kohli and Patidar.
Axar Patel's Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, is the only unbeaten team in IPL 2025, having won all three of its matches so far. It sits comfortably at the top of the table, with their most recent victory being a dominant 25-run win against Chennai Super Kings.
RCB and DC have faced each other 31 times in IPL history. RCB holds the edge with 19 wins, while DC has won 11 matches. One match ended with no result.
This season, Virat Kohli has been in sublime form, consistently anchoring the RCB innings at the top. Patidar, the skipper and player of the match in the last game, has been crucial in the finishing role. His explosive batting has helped RCB consolidate. The wicket-keeper-bat Jitesh Sharma has been the real revelation this season for RCB. His batting and keeping have given RCB an extra weapon.
Josh Hazlewood, a reliable bowler, is the one who can exploit the bounce at Chinnaswamy. The form of Krunal Pandya is also encouraging for RCB, which often finds itself unable to defend totals at its home ground.
For DC, KL Rahul, the wicketkeeper-batter has been a standout performer, scoring 77 runs in the last match against the unimpressive CSK. Mitchell Starc, his pace and accuracy will make him a threat, especially on a high-scoring pitch. DC batting and bowling has hid some troublesome performers. Jake Fraser-McGurk is still to hit the top gear. So is Tristan Stubbs. Axar Patel is not his usual miserly self with the ball.
RCB's middle-order batters, including Patidar and Tim David, will face a tough challenge against DC's spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Vipraj Nigam. The battle between Mitchell Starc and Virat Kohli could be a defining moment in the game.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium is known as a batter's paradise, with short boundaries and a flat pitch. A 200-plus score is expected, making it a high-scoring affair.
Probable teams:
RCB: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.
DC: Jake Fraser-McGurk, KL Rahul (wk), Abishek Porel, Axar Patel (c), Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma.