IPL 7: Kings of the chase face Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan didn’t have Steve Smith in their first match and the onus was on 42-year-old leg-spinner Pravin Tambe to step up. With Rajat Bhatia keeping it tight at one end, Tambe took control of the middle-overs.  His presence gives Rajasthan an advantage over Punjab who are a little short of spin-bowling options. They fielded just one spinner in the form of Maxwell in the first match and Murali Kartik could be a welcome addition.

Rahane vs Johnson

T20 cricket doesn’t allow much scope for individual duels but a mini battle between Ajinkya Rahane and Mitchell Johnson could be interesting. Johnson looked a little under-cooked in the first match, returning to competitive cricket from a toe infection. He gave away 47 runs in his four overs but is now expected to get better in the second game. Rahane, on the other hand, anchored Rajasthan’s chase against Hyderabad with a 53-ball 59 despite getting hit on the helmet by Ishant Sharma. His technique will again be tested on Sunday.

Mad Max

Glenn Maxwell was the only shining light in Australia’s otherwise anonymous performance in the World T20 with 147 runs in four matches. Against Chennai, he set up the victory with 95 runs off 43 deliveries, where he came in at No. 3, maximising his time at the crease. The strategy paid off well, and Rajasthan will have to find a way to get him early.