Kohli vs Rahul in Delhi as RCB take on DC
In another subplot, Mitchell Starc will be up against Josh Hazlewood
Shashank Kishore
26-Apr-2025
Big picture: Virat Kohli in Delhi
Virat Kohli caused chaos during his last visit to the Arun Jaitley Stadium, turning a routine Ranji Trophy fixture into a three-day celebration. While the fanfare remains, those backing Kohli will also cheer vociferously for a Delhi Capitals (DC) win.
Kohli is third on the Orange Cap list, averaging 65.33 - second only to his 2016 run where Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made the final. Five of his six half-centuries have come in wins, and since 2022, he's contributed the second-highest percentage of runs (26.12) in wins, behind Shubman Gill.
Kohli comes to the Kotla with happy IPL memories. He has scored 483 runs in ten innings at an average of 69 and a strike rate of 145.5 - his best at any venue where he has played more than five games. RCB - unbeaten in five away games - will be hoping for another special knock and to steer clear of their three-way tie with Gujarat Titans and DC on 12 points.
Kohli's dominance is only half the story. In KL Rahul, DC have their own formidable force, a player who has completely redefined his T20 approach. Gone is the focus on playing the long game; Rahul now prioritises boundaries and aggression. When these two teams met earlier in the season, Rahul guided DC home with a statement performance at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Halfway through the season, he is DC's top scorer with 323 runs at a blistering strike rate of 153.80, heading into the RCB clash on the back of an unbeaten 57 against his former side, Lucknow Super Giants.
Rahul's stellar form has carried DC's top order in Faf du Plessis' absence, following a groin injury. The South African has recovered and will be available for this game. With Karun Nair, Abishek Porel, and Axar Patel all in sparkling form, DC have the capability to match RCB's batting might.
Outside of Kohli vs Rahul, the match also promises another subplot between two of the most decorated fast bowlers: Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
As far as the playoff chances are concerned, there's plenty at stake. Both RCB and DC, who revamped their squads at the mega auction, carry with them the promise of going all the way. A win here will strengthen the prospects of a top-two finish.
Form guide
Delhi Capitals WLWLW (last five matches, most recent first)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru WWLWL
Royal Challengers Bengaluru WWLWL
Team news and likely XIIs
Du Plessis hasn't played since April 10, but now that he's fit he'll likely slot back in as a fourth overseas player.
Delhi Capitals: 1 Abishek Porel, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Karun Nair, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Ashutosh Sharma, 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 Michell Starc, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mukesh Kumar, 12 Dushmantha Chameera
RCB have a settled combination that they're unlikely to tinker with.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Romario Shephard, 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Suyash Sharma
In the spotlight: Kuldeep Yadav and Krunal Pandya
Kuldeep Yadav has been DC's ace, pairing control with 12 wickets at an economy of 6.3 - the joint-best with Varun Chakravarthy. He has gone wicketless just once and has played a key role in DC's strong middle-overs showing, where they concede only 8.4 per over. He has been excellent at home, exemplified by his 2 for 23 against Mumbai Indians in an innings where they posted 205.
In his ninth season, Krunal Pandya has equalled his best IPL haul with 12 wickets - all in wins and joint-second-most among spinners. His double-blow, backed by Suyash Sharma's control, set up the win against Rajasthan Royals three nights ago. Not as feared as the Varuns or Narines, the RCB duo remains crucial with the playoffs in sight.
The big question
Should du Plessis walk back into the DC side if fit?
3.0K votesYes
No
Yes but open with Nair and Porel
Key stats
- Rahul has dominated Hazlewood in the IPL, scoring 76 runs off him at a strike rate of 173, with just one dismissal in five innings.
- Starc has proven expensive in the powerplay - conceding at 11.40. This has contributed to DC struggling overall - their economy of 9.8 is the third-worst in the league.
- RCB have won all games where Kohli has scored a half-century this season. Since 2024, RCB have won nine out of 11 games where he has scored 50 or more.
- Tim David's strike rate of 212 is second-best behind Heinrich Klaasen among batters who've faced at least 30 balls.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar is just three wickets away from overtaking Piyush Chawla (192) as the IPL's second-highest wicket-taker.
- Axar Patel's strike rate of 202 against spin is the second highest among batters who have faced at least 50 balls this season. Nicholas Pooran tops the list by striking at 268.
Pitch and conditions
Both games at Kotla have been high scoring, but spinners like Kuldeep and Vipraj Nigam, who've tossed the ball up and turned it, have earned wickets. Spin has claimed 13 wickets, conceding 9.1 runs per over, compared to 10.2 by pacers. With dew likely, the team batting first will need a big total. With both sides evenly matched, predicting the par-score is not easy.
Quotes
"Last year, it was really flat and nice, and didn't really bounce that much. This year, it's a little bit more inconsistent, a bit harder to get used to, and might take some more time for batters to get into their innings."
Jake Fraser-McGurk believes the surfaces at the Arun Jaitley Stadium are a little slower this year.
Jake Fraser-McGurk believes the surfaces at the Arun Jaitley Stadium are a little slower this year.
"He's entitled to [celebrate]. He played a good knock. Good on him. We've had no discussions at all."
RCB's player ID lead Malolan Rangarajan plays down the significance of KL Rahul's celebration in the reverse fixture.
RCB's player ID lead Malolan Rangarajan plays down the significance of KL Rahul's celebration in the reverse fixture.
Shashank Kishore is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo