Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings are set for a high-stakes battle in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League 2025, scheduled for Thursday. With a spot within the last on the road, each groups enter this match having secured spectacular league campaigns, every with 9 wins in 14 video games, and ending within the prime two spots. The match carries immense significance, because the winner will safe a direct ticket to the IPL last, whereas the loser can have one other alternative in Qualifier 2. All eyes had been on RCB as Rajat Patidar returned to captaincy duties and wasted no time making an affect, profitable the toss and electing to bowl first at a venue providing a agency floor and good grass cowl—superb situations for seamers to extract early motion.
Purpose behind Tim David’s absence for RCB within the IPL 2025 Qualifier 1
On the toss, Patidar confirmed a vital change for RCB, asserting the return of Australian speedster Josh Hazlewood into the taking part in XI rather than Nuwan Thushara. Hazlewood’s inclusion is predicted to bolster RCB’s powerplay and demise bowling, particularly given the help the pitch may provide early on. One other main speaking level was the absence of Tim David, who continues to be sidelined following a hamstring damage he sustained throughout RCB’s conflict towards Sunrisers Hyderabad. Though Patidar didn’t elaborate on David’s exclusion on the toss, it’s extensively understood that the all-rounder has not totally recovered, having additionally missed the final league-stage fixture towards Lucknow Tremendous Giants.
“We are going to bowl first. Wicket appears to be like very laborious, respectable masking of grass and can attempt to maximize the primary few overs. Everybody gave greater than one hundred pc within the final recreation, Jitesh Salt and Kohli they had been super. One change for us. Hazlewood comes rather than Thushara,” Patidar stated after profitable the toss.
Additionally READ: IPL 2025: Right here’s how Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fared in Qualifier 1 thus far
Purpose behind Yuzvendra Chahal and Marco Jansen’s absence for RCB within the IPL 2025 Qualifier 1
Punjab, in the meantime, are additionally not at full power heading into this pivotal contest. The workforce will notably be with out their premier leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who misses his third consecutive match because of a wrist damage. Whereas captain Shreyas Iyer shunned offering specifics about Chahal’s absence, the leg-spinner’s extended unavailability has been a setback for PBKS within the lead-up to the playoffs.
Along with that, PBKS had been hit with one other blow as South African all-rounder Marco Jansen was dominated out of the qualifier. The tall left-arm pacer has flown again residence to start preparations for South Africa’s World Take a look at Championship Closing towards Australia, set to start on June 11 at Lord’s. The absence of each Chahal and Jansen weakens Punjab’s bowling assault, particularly in a crunch recreation the place expertise and selection are essential.
“Would have bowled first as properly. When you have a look at the document right here, groups batting first have finished properly, so I’m optimistic. They (the gang) have been super and also you want such sort of vibration whenever you enter the bottom and it provides us lots of power as properly. The way in which they (openers) have been displaying the fearless strategy and the angle has been sensible. Marco goes out and Azmatullah is available in for him,” captain Shreyas Iyer stated on the toss.
Additionally READ: Right here’s how Punjab Kings have fared in IPL playoffs