Delhi Capitals’ KL Rahul during a practice session in Bengaluru. (PTI Photo)

BENGALURU: When KL Rahul walked into the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday evening, it was with his usual swagger — but also a quiet sense of homecoming. From security personnel to ground staff, familiar faces paused to greet the homegrown star, who acknowledged them with a smile. The venue, after all, remains a second home for the Delhi Capitals’ senior pro. It’s a ground where he honed his craft and one where he will hope to rediscover rhythm after a stop-start campaign so far.Up against his former side, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, on Saturday afternoon, Rahul will be eager to make the most of familiar conditions. After a prolific 2025 season in which he amassed 539 runs, the elegant opener has managed just 111 from four outings this year, with a highest score of 92 against Gujarat Titans. Few can question his pedigree, but consistency has eluded him. RCB, however, know better than most how dangerous Rahul can be if he settles in.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!At a venue where 200-plus totals have become the norm, Delhi Capitals will be desperate for a turnaround. The larger challenge, though, lies in halting a rampaging RCB unit that has made the Chinnaswamy a fortress this season.The surface here can be unforgiving for erring bowlers, and Capitals will need a marked improvement from their attack. Skipper Axar Patel and fellow spinner Kuldeep Yadav are yet to find their rhythm, while the pace unit has lacked continuity. Auqib Nabi, who enjoyed a breakthrough domestic season, has featured only once, with Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan preferred options so far. On a ground where variations and execution are key, that inconsistency could prove costly.ALSO READ: Impact role again on the cards for Virat Kohli?The struggles are not limited to bowling. Barring the promising Sameer Rizvi, the batting line-up has lacked stability. Experienced campaigners like David Miller, Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana and Tristan Stubbs have all blown hot and cold, leaving the side searching for a collective effort. The visitors, however, have had time to regroup. They arrived early in the city from Chennai and have put in the hard yards at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.For RCB, it has taken more than a decade to turn Chinnaswamy into a stronghold. This season they have been near flawless, winning all three home games in high-scoring encounters. Their campaign, much like last year, has been built on depth and shared responsibility rather than individual brilliance.While Phil Salt is yet to explode to his full potential, Virat Kohli has already donned the Orange Cap. Tim David’s finishing prowess and Devdutt Padikkal’s solidity at the top have further strengthened the batting unit. Leading the charge, however, has been skipper Rajat Patidar, who has been in imperious touch, scoring 222 runs in five matches at a strike rate in excess of 200.“His batting has been unbelievable,” Josh Hazlewood said on the eve of the game. “He walks in and can hit the first ball for four or six. He hasn’t just maintained momentum, he’s taken it to another level, especially in that 7-15 over phase.”RCB, who will don their green jerseys for the fixture, face a fresh challenge in what will be their first day game of the season. But with momentum and form on their side, they will back themselves to extend their dominance.

Virat Kohli leads RCB run chase in Bengaluru. (Pic credit: IPL)

BENGALURU: The early phase of IPL has largely belonged to emerging talent and young turks. But the midweek fixture at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here was different. It turned out to be a vintage Wednesday. Two experienced exponents of the sport from Royal Challengers Bengaluru came out to show Lucknow Super Giants how the job is done.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Two seasoned campaigners led the charge. The 36-year-old Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/27) set the tone with a masterclass in swing bowling, exploiting movement early before nailing his yorkers at the death. At the other end, 35-year-old Josh Hazlewood (1/20) was relentless, operating on probing lengths that proved difficult to read. On a spongy surface, RCB’s pacers — with Rasikh Dar (4/24) joining the party — used the short ball to unsettle the opposition before bundling LSG out for a modest 146.Chasing a below-par target, RCB did flirt with a wobble but eventually sealed a five-wicket win in 15.1 overs, maintaining their unbeaten run at home this season.Phil Salt fell early, but Virat Kohli, coming in as an Impact Player for Suyash Sharma, quickly found his rhythm. Consecutive boundaries off Mohammed Shami showcased his trademark wristwork and timing. Kohli raced to 34 off his first 14 deliveries, putting the chase firmly on track.However, disciplined bowling from Avesh Khan, coupled with wickets at the other end, slowed the tempo. Kohli was denied a half-century, falling for 49 (34b; 6×4, 1×6), caught by Nicholas Pooran at long-on. But the others ensured the job was done with plenty to spare.

RCB pacer Josh Hazlewood celebrates with teammates after taking a LSG wicket. (Pic credit: IPL)

Earlier, LSG’s sluggish start to the IPL season showed little sign of improvement as their batting unit faltered again. On the eve of the clash, the franchise’s global cricket director, Tom Moody, had hoped the venue’s run-friendly reputation would act as a tonic. Instead, LSG’s struggles deepened.RCB’s tactic of using short-pitched deliveries effectively unsettled the batters. Hazlewood brought control at the top, Bhuvneshwar was incisive, and Rasikh starred with clever variations that left batters guessing.LSG never quite recovered after an early setback. Aiden Markram fell in the fourth over, miscuing a full toss from Rasikh to Devdutt Padikkal at covers. From there, it became a slow-paced procession. The batters struggled to gauge the pace of the wicket, often committing too early. RCB tightened the screws with 15 dot balls in the Powerplay, setting the tone for the collapse.Pooran’s lean run continued as he fell to Hazlewood, dragging a short ball back onto his stumps while attempting a pull. Mitchell Marsh (40; 32b; 3×4, 2×6) and Ayush Badoni (38) offered brief resistance, stitching together a 36-run stand to steady the innings. But Krunal Pandya (2/38) broke through, deceiving Marsh with a quicker delivery that crashed into the stumps before removing Abdul Samad in his next over.Mukul Choudhary’s 39 added some late respectability, but the innings never gained real momentum.

Rishabh Pant’s difficult outing was compounded by an injury scare. He was first beaten outside off by Hazlewood before being struck on the right abdomen by a rising short ball. Attempting to counterattack, he then inside-edged onto his left elbow, leaving him in visible discomfort. After receiving treatment, Pant walked off, only to return in the 16th over with LSG in trouble at 118/5. Still not fully at ease, the LSG skipper struggled for timing and was eventually dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar after facing just three deliveries.

Mayank Yadav (Screengrab/X)

Lucknow Super Giants are set to take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in what promises to be a high-octane IPL clash, with a potential major boost in the form of pace sensation Mayank Yadav’s return.The young speedster, who has been sidelined due to injury, is likely to be back in contention, and his comeback could add serious firepower to LSG’s already impressive bowling attack. On the eve of LSG’s match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mayank spent some time doing spot bowling at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, before having a long conversation with bowling coach B Arun as reported by ESPNcricinfo.