Fantasy Pick: Expect red-hot Buttler to have another good outing
Apr 26: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals, 39th Match, MCA Stadium, Pune
Safe XI: Jos Buttler (capt), Sanju Samson, Dinesh Karthik, F du Plessis, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Glenn Maxwell, Yuzvendra Chahal, Josh Hazlewood (vice-capt), Prasidh Krishna, Mohammad Siraj
Captain: Jos Buttler has taken IPL by storm this season by holding most of the batting records if not all. He is the leading run-scorer with 491 runs in seven games at an average of 81.83 and a strike rate of 161.51 and has hit 32 sixes so far. In his last eight IPL outings, he has smashed four centuries. He has good numbers in MCA Stadium too, having scored 155 runs in five T20 games at an average of 51.66 and a strike rate of 151.96.
Vice-captain: Josh Hazlewood has been a stunning addition to the Royal Challengers unit this season having picked up eight wickets in four outings at a strike rate of 11.2. He has been a tremendous performer in death overs since last season, picking up seven wickets in nine outings at an economy of 8.40.
Hot Picks
Yuzvendra Chahal: The current purple cap holder has been making batters dance to his tunes this season picking up 18 wickets in seven outings at an average of 11.33. He has taken the most wickets for a spinner in death overs too - five wickets in 24 balls at an impressive economy of 7.75. Earlier this season when he played against RCB, he picked up 2 for 15.
Sanju Samson: Although Buttler has taken the limelight with the bat this season for Royals, their skipper Sanju Samson has been silently accumulating runs - 201 runs in seven outings at a strike rate of 171.79. In the last four games at this venue, he has recorded one 100-plus score and one 50-plus score.
Differential Picks
Prasidh Krishna: In a game where where 429 runs were scored, Krishna bowled one of the spells of the tournament with 3 for 22 in his four overs. In the penultimate over of the chase, his wicket-maiden helped the team to get over the line against Delhi Capitals. He has taken eight wickets in seven games at an economy of 8.14 this season.
Devdutt Padikkal: The young left-hand opener has been a consistent performer for Royals this season, having recorded scores of 20 or more in five of the seven innings. The last time he played against Royal Challengers, he scored 37(29) and the last time he played in this venue, he scored 41 (29).
High Risk XI: Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (capt), Shimron Hetmyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Glenn Maxwell (vice-capt), Shahbaz Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Prasidh Krishna