By BD Narayankar
Bengaluru, Apr 17 (UNI) As Royal Challengers Bengaluru gear up to face Punjab Kings in their seventh match of the IPL 2025 season at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, all eyes will be on the in-form opening duo of Virat Kohli and Philip Salt, whose combined tally of nearly 500 runs has been the bedrock of RCB’s campaign so far.
The hosts, led by Rajat Patidar, will enter the contest with momentum on their side, having secured a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in their previous outing. Their dominance at home and a superior head-to-head record — three wins in the last three meetings against Punjab — makes them strong favourites to clinch two more points and move to the top of the points table.
Punjab Kings, who also have 8 points from six games, will have their task cut out. The team, captained by Shreyas Iyer, pulled off a stunning 16-run victory against Kolkata Knight Riders, thanks largely to their bowling unit. Yuzvendra Chahal’s magical spell of 4/28 and Marco Jansen’s 3/17 saved the day after the batting lineup collapsed, a concern Iyer must address ahead of the Bengaluru clash.
Kohli and Salt’s aggressive opening stands have regularly given RCB a flying start. In the last match, Salt hammered a blistering 37 off 17 balls, while Tim David and Patidar ensured a smooth chase. With Devdutt Padikkal, Liam Livingstone, and Jitesh Sharma forming the middle order, RCB have both experience and firepower.
Their bowling unit has clicked in tandem, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar leading the charge with the new ball. He has been ably supported by left-arm pacer Yash Dayal and spinners Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, all of whom have adjusted well to the flat Bengaluru surface. Josh Hazlewood’s presence adds bite to their pace attack.
Punjab’s top order has struggled for consistency. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh showed promise with quick cameos in the previous game, but the middle order, comprising Josh Inglis, Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh, has not fired consistently.
The lower-middle order boasts match-winners like Glenn Maxwell and Suryansh Shedge, but Punjab’s over-reliance on their bowlers remains a worrying trend. Jansen and Bartlett have been effective with the new ball, while Chahal and Arshdeep Singh have handled the middle and death overs with skill.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for its batting-friendly conditions, fast outfield, and short boundaries. The average first-innings score at the venue is 173, but with the current form of top-order batsmen on both sides, totals in excess of 200 cannot be ruled out.
The weather forecast indicates warm and humid conditions with a high cloud cover in the evening, but rain is unlikely to disrupt play.
Given the recent trend at this venue, where four of the last five matches have been won by chasing teams, the toss-winning captain is expected to bowl first. Both sides have recent success while chasing and will look to exploit any dew factor in the second innings.
While Punjab Kings come into the contest on the back of a morale-boosting win, their poor record at Chinnaswamy and inconsistent batting lineup tilt the balance in RCB’s favour. Kohli and Salt’s form, the advantage of playing at home, and a settled bowling combination give Royal Challengers Bengaluru the edge.
UN BDN KK