Highlights, IPL 2019, RR vs RCB: Jos Buttler, Shreyas Gopal give Rajasthan Royals maiden win

First win of the season for the team in pink. The fact that it's come in front of their home crowd will please them more and give them some much-needed confidence for the campaign. They were right on top from the moment this chase began. Buttler and Rahane took their side off to a flier and from that point on, it was smooth sailing as they pretty much set the tone for the rest to come. Buttler went on to score his fifty. After his departure, Smith and Tripathi sealed the deal, with the latter scoring the winning runs and remaining unbeaten.

Umesh Yadav to Rahul Tripathi, SIX. What a way to finish things off! Tripathi doesn't let it go into the Super Over and calmly gets his side over the line. Short ball and it's pulled with absolute control, flat over the mid-wicket fence. RAJASTHAN WIN BY 7 WICKETS!​

Umesh Yadav to Ben Stokes,  We could have a Super Over if Umesh can hold his nerve somehow. Good save from the man at point on this occasion. Stokes cuts it square where the fielder dives to his right and stops a certain boundary.

Umesh Yadav to Rahul Tripathi, Angling back into the batsman, Tripathi hits it through mid-wicket for a double.

Ben Stokes walks in next. Meanwhile, it is Umesh Yadav to bowl the final over. 5 needed off 6 balls now.

Mohammed Siraj to Steven Smith, Taken this time. Umesh Yadav the man to gobble it up. Virat Kohli applauds that. Smith backs away to this fuller length ball and looks to clear long on. Can hit it only as far as the fielder who takes it well this time. A wicket finally comes, but maybe a little too late.

Mohammed Siraj to Steven Smith, Has that carried? Seems like it has. Yes, it has. It's a DROPPED CHANCE! Substitute Pawan Negi makes a good effort, but he should have caught it. Steven Smith mistimes his pull shot towards mid-wicket. Negi there runs in, dives, gets his fingers under it but can't hold on. Single taken.

Mohammed Siraj to Steven Smith, Has that carried? Seems like it has. Yes, it has. It's a DROPPED CHANCE! Substitute Pawan Negi makes a good effort, but he should have caught it. Steven Smith mistimes his pull shot towards mid-wicket. Negi there runs in, dives, gets his fingers under it but can't hold on. Single taken.

Navdeep Saini to Rahul Tripathi, Once again, the execution from Tripathi is spot on. A full toss around off, the batsman backs away and slices it behind point. Third man tries to cut it off by moving to his right but can't stop it. RR 150/2 in 17.4 Overs

 * Navdeep Saini returns to the attack.

Mohammed Siraj to Steven Smith, Take that, Mohammed Siraj! Steven Smith with an immaculate hit. This is full again, right in the slot, Smith swings across the line and nails the slog. Clears the mid-wicket boundary with ease for a maximum. 18 runs needed in 18 balls now.

Mohammed Siraj to Rahul Tripathi, Clean as you like. What a hit. So much control. Full and wide outside off, Tripathi makes sweet connection as he smashes it over covers. Nobody out there in the deep, it's a boundary. RR 129/2 in 16.1 Overs

Mohammed Siraj is called back on to bowl.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Steven Smith, Is that the game-changing moment? It has to be, doesn't it? Unbelievable. The simplest of catches, really. Tossed up leg break around off, spins away, Smith opens his body up and goes inside out. What should have been a straightforward catch to Umesh Yadav at sweeper cover, ends up becoming a missed chance. The batsmen take one. Virat Kohli is not a happy camper. No, sir. RR 122/2 in 15.1 Overs

Rajasthan on course to win this game. Just need 38 to win in 30 balls, with 8 wickets in hand. Unless there is a massive collapse, this game is theirs to win.

Marcus Stoinis to Rahul Tripathi, Tripathi welcomes Stoinis with a boundary. All too easy, this. Back of a length on middle and leg, the batter adjusts inside the crease and pulls it over mid-wicket, right in the gap. Nobody out there, so that will be a boundary.

Marcus Stoinis returns to attack

Umesh Yadav to Steven Smith, Streaky runs for Steven Smith. Rajasthan will gladly accept all of them. Length ball rising off the deck outside off, Smith plays away from his body and gets an edge down to third man for a boundary.

Umesh Yadav to bowl now.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Steven Smith, The back foot is firmly in the crease even as Smith had lost his balance. A flighted ball outside off, Smith looks to play a shot onto the leg side but fails to connect the ball and loses his balance. The keeper collects the ball and whips the bails off. He asks the question to the square leg umpire who takes it upstairs. The replays show that the Aussie is safely inside the crease. He did well there not to drag his feet out or lift it.

Stumping appeal taken upstairs. Steven Smith is the man in question. Looks like his back foot was in the crease. Let's see what the replays have to say.

Rahul Tripathi walks in next.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Jos Buttler, Buttler holes out! Huge wicket for Bangalore. They have broken the 44-run stand. A flighted ball on middle, Buttler looks to slog it for a maximum but the ball takes the edge and goes high towards long off. Stoinis there settles under the ball and takes a good catch. Can this pave the way back for Bangalore? RR 104/2 in 14.2 Overs

Moeen Ali to Jos Buttler, This is thumped over deep mid-wicket with the utmost ease. A short one on middle, pulled away by Buttler as he rocks back in his crease. The fielder out there is a mere spectator. RR 99/0 in 11.3 Overs

Moeen Ali to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Bowled full and flighted outside off, hit hard down the ground and beats the long off and the long on fielder. It also brings up the fifty for Buttler, his eighth 50 in the tournament!

Moeen Ali is introduced into the attack.

Marcus Stoinis to Steven Smith, Lucky boundary for Smith but he will take it with both hands. Good length delivery outside off, Smith looks to cut but gets an inside edge. The ball goes to the fine leg fence for a boundary. RR 86/1 in 10.3 Overs

Yuzvendra Chahal to Jos Buttler, Bowled quicker outside off, pushed to the right of point for a couple of runs. Good running. Rajasthan are 80/1 at their halfway mark. They need 78 more in 60 balls.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Jos Buttler, Flighted ball on leg, Buttler looks to flick it towards the leg side but gets a leading edge towards backward point. The fielder there misfields and allows for an extra run to be taken. Poor stuff from Bangalore.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Jos Buttler, Sprays the ball down the leg side. The umpire penalises the bowler.

Marcus Stoinis to Jos Buttler, Slower bouncer and smashed! The ball is outside off on a short length and Buttler hits it over mid-wicket for an easy boundary. RR 72/1 in 9 Overs

Marcus Stoinis to Jos Buttler, Swiped away! A short length ball on middle and aimed at the body as the ball holds its line. Buttler swivels and pulls this away to the deep square leg fence on a bounce. The ball goes for a boundary.

Marcus Stoinis is brought into the bowling attack.

Steven Smith walks out to bat at number 3.

Yuzvendra Chahal to Ajinkya Rahane, And Chahal does strike! This is a big wicket for Bangalore, they needed that. RR 60/1 in 7.4 Overs

Mohammed Siraj to Jos Buttler, Ooohhh! Siraj is unlucky. This is a terrific delivery. Full again, some good pace on it, just outside off. Buttler makes a lot of room to cream it through the covers. Misses and the ball whiskers past the off stick. Close one.

A much-needed one for Bangalore. They are bleeding runs and really need to regroup. Buttler and Rahane have taken the attack to the hosts' bowlers and have come out successful so far. The introduction of the spinners could work wonders for the home side. It needs a wicket and fast.

Navdeep Saini to Ajinkya Rahane, Takes the aerial route and gets the desired result. This is very good batting from Ajinkya Rahane. Fuller length ball on the fifth stump line, it's lofted cleanly over covers for a boundary. RR 54/0 in 5.5 Overs

Navdeep Saini to Ajinkya Rahane, Finds the gap and the fence as well. Full and darted on middle and off, Rahane moves inside the line and whips this aerially through mid-wicket for a boundary. The 50 comes up for Rajasthan with this.

Mohammed Siraj to Ajinkya Rahane, No maiden for Siraj, but excellent nonetheless. Just 1 run off the over. Rahane drives this full ball towards mid-on and pinches a quick single. RR 46/0 in 5 Overs

Mohammad Siraj comes into attack.

Navdeep Saini to Jos Buttler, Edgy  No trouble at all for Buttler though, he will welcome it all night long. Full ball outside off, the Englishman pushes at it away from the body and gets a thick edge past short third man. This is the third boundary of the over. RR 45/0 in 3.5 Overs

Navdeep Saini to Jos Buttler, Buttler's missed out, shouldn't have been a boundary at all but the keeper's made a mess of that. It's Akshdeep Nath behind the stumps, not sure where Parthiv Patel is for now. Length ball coming back in, Jos swings and misses. It goes through the left of the keeper and away to the boundary line behind.

Navdeep Saini to Jos Buttler, This opening pair is only dealing in boundaries. Full and wide outside off, Buttler drives it through the big gap in the covers and gets another boundary to his name.

Umesh Yadav to Ajinkya Rahane, That's cracked! Short and wide outside off, Rahane cuts this hard through point. Pierces the gap there and ends the over with a boundary. Everything about that shot was perfect.

Umesh Yadav to Ajinkya Rahane, Poor line. Down the leg side, all Rahane has to do is get something on it and he does that. Tickles it past the diving keeper and sends it across the fine leg fence.

Umesh Yadav to Ajinkya Rahane, Fires it full and down the leg side, wide signalled by the umpire.

Navdeep Saini to Jos Buttler, Slapped and slapped hard. Good length delivery outside off, Buttler smacks it through covers for a boundary.

Navdeep Saini to Jos Buttler, Buttler goes after Saini. Fuller delivery on middle, Buttler lofts it straight over the bowler's head. He does not time it to perfection but times it well enough to get a boundary.

Navdeep Saini to Ajinkya Rahane, Saini is an unlucky man. Pacy delivery outside off, Rahane looks to drive it but gets a thick outside edge. Kohli there dives to his right but cannot hold onto the ball. He should have taken that as it was a regulation catch there. The batsmen take a single as well.

Navdeep Saini shares the new ball with Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav to Jos Buttler, No mistake this time and Buttler smacks this length ball on off through covers for a boundary. He is off the mark in style.

Jos Buttler and Ajinkya Rahane are the batsmen out for Rajasthan while Umesh Yadav will start proceedings for RCB

So, it's all set up for an exciting second half. Bangalore have something to bowl at, and the momentum they got towards the end could just be the thing that could push them in the run chase. This is a total that is chaseable and the dew might come into play as well. Rajasthan will back themselves to win this. 

Shreyas Gopal is on the sidelines for a chat. He feels lucky to have got the wickets of two world-class batsmen in the form of Kohli and de Villiers. He states that he follows his gut feeling and tries to hide the ball till as late as possible. He informs us that he tries to bowl stump to stump and hopes for the best. Mentions that he does not feel bad to go for runs as all the players here are world class. As far as the domestic circuit is concerned, he feels that there is a difference in the caliber of the batsmen on both platforms, that the batsmen here at the Indian T20 League are much more accomplished.

Rajasthan won't be disappointed as such, but will certainly feel disheartened that they couldn't restrict Bangalore to under 140. There were good performances, with Gopal being the standout one as he ended with 3/12 in his 4-over spell. Archer surprisingly, who's very good, was quite expensive today, conceding 47, with 17 of them coming in the final over of the game.

17 off the final over and that could prove to be the difference maker at the end of it all. Stoinis and Moeen Ali, especially the latter, provided the fast runs in the death overs and got their side to a fighting total at the very least. The innings largely revolved around Parthiv Patel as Kohli, de Villiers and Hetmyer departed without doing much damage. The southpaw opener motored along to a well-deserved fifty and the two all-rounders from the middle order delivered with a late flurry.

Jofra Archer to Marcus Stoinis, FOUR! Marcus Stoinis finishes things off with a boundary. Premeditates this as he goes well across his stumps early, it's a full toss. The Aussie paddles it fine down the leg side and beats short fine leg for a boundary. An expensive outing for Archer today, he finishes with figures of 4-0-47-1. BANGALORE FINISH ON 158/4.​

Jofra Archer to Moeen Ali, Moeen Ali playing a fine knock here. Great execution from him. Full and in the slot, Ali clears his front leg and hammers it down the ground. Gowtham from long on moves to his right and dives, but still can't stop the ball from crossing the rope.

Jofra Archer to Moeen Ali, That's come right off the middle. Picks his spot and nails this exceptionally well. Archer bowls the slow one but the line is too straight, Ali clears his front leg and pummels it over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Jofra Archer will bowl the last over for RR

Ben Stokes to Marcus Stoinis, Slashes hard but misses. Jos Buttler has caught the ball and he feels it's out. But, there is nothing on Ultraedge and RR lose their review.

Ben Stokes to Marcus Stoinis, So powerful. He's a big, strong man. Uses the angle coming into him, it's full in length, and Stoinis muscles it aerially through mid-wicket. Bisects the two fielders in the deep and gets a boundary to his name.

Jofra Archer to Moeen Ali, Not sure he intended to go there, but he's certainly not going to complain. Extremely full and angling in on leg, Ali swings as it goes off the inner half. It races away to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Moeen Ali is the new man in

Jofra Archer to Parthiv Patel, Archer gets rid of the set batsman. Parthiv looks to go big, rightly so, but can't execute his shot as nicely as he'd have liked. Full and on off from around the wicket, the opener looks to clear long on. Can't get underneath the ball cleanly and hands a simple catch to Rahane in the deep. Got out at the wrong time, but a fine innings from Parthiv Patel comes to a close.

Jofra Archer back on

Ben Stokes to Parthiv Patel, That is an excellent finish to the over for Bangalore! A length ball on middle and off, Parthiv Patel middles his short-arm jab and gets it through wide long on for a boundary. The timing was ominous on that one.

Ben Stokes back on for Rajasthan

Dhawal Kulkarni to Parthiv Patel, Patel going along well here, grabs another boundary to his name. Full and wide outside off, Parthiv has room to free his arms. He does so and clears the cover fielder inside the ring. Boundary results.

Shreyas Gopal to Marcus Stoinis, Stoinis has got away there. An inch to the right and he would have been gone. Short ball around off, the googly and it keeps low. Stoinis looks to play the reverse paddle but it goes under his bat and catches the back pad. Luckily for the batsman, the impact is outside off.

Shreyas Gopal to bowl now.

Jofra Archer to Marcus Stoinis, THAT IS A MASSIVE HIT! Wow. Marcus Stoinis has a lot of power. He's continuing his good form into this tournament as well. Full and right in the slot for him, he gets under the ball and launches it high and deep into the wide long on stands for a maximum.

Jofra Archer to Parthiv Patel, No ball! And that's a fifty for Parthiv Patel, his 12th in the Indian T20 League. Around off, Patel runs it down to short third man and takes off. Comes back as the fielder is quick to the ball. A direct hit is scored and the batsmen take the run as the ball ricochets off the stumps. Plenty happening, with more to come. Free Hit coming up now...

Jofra Archer has come on to bowl again

Ben Stokes to Parthiv Patel, Shot. Much better. In complete control this time. Short and wide outside off, Parthiv Patel flays it through point and finds the fence.

Ben Stokes to Parthiv Patel, He just about gets enough on it! Not in complete control, but gets the job done. Back of a length on middle and off, Parthiv stays back, waits for the ball to come to him and then pulls it over square leg. Tripathi out in the deep leaps just inside the rope, but can't reach the ball.

Ben Stokes has come on for Rajasthan

Stuart Binny has been introduced into the attack

Australian debutant Marcus Stoinis is the new man in and he has his task cut out

Shreyas Gopal to Shimron Hetmyer, Make that third for Gopal. Three big wickets. He is spinning webs left and right around the batsmen. Flighted delivery around off, the ball spins away slightly. Hetmyer looks to play that but gets a feather on it and Buttler takes an easy catch behind the stumps.

Krishnappa Gowtham the off-spinner is back on for RR

Shimron Hetmyer is the new man in for RCB and he has some rebuilding to do

Shreyas Gopal to AB de Villiers, Shreyas is having an evening to remember here. Rajasthan needed the wicket of De Villiers and Gopal has provided them just that. Slower through the air on middle, de Villiers is early in his shot, AB ends up chipping it straight. Shreyas shows great athleticism and dives in front to take a good diving catch.

Varun Aaron to Parthiv Patel, End of an expensive over. Back of a length delivery on off, Parthiv whips it through point for a boundary.

Varun Aaron to AB de Villiers, Lucky for the batsman and unlucky for the bowler. Good length delivery outside off, de Villiers looks to slash it on the off side but gets a under edge which flies past his stumps and through to fine leg fence for a boundary.

Varun Aaron to Parthiv Patel, Not the the start Aaron was looking for. He bowls a length ball on the pads of Parthiv. He easily flicks it towards fine leg for a boundary.

Varun Aaron now has the ball for RR

Shreyas Gopal to De Villiers, Cheeky from de Villiers. He does not wait long to show his skills. Shorter on middle, de Villiers premeditates and paddles it over fine leg for a boundary.

AB de Villiers is the new man in for RCB

Shreyas Gopal to Virat Kohli, Right through the gate! Everything about this delivery is perfect. The length, the flight, the deception, the turn. Beautiful. Gopal strikes straightaway in his first over. This one was a googly pitching on off and coming way back in. Kohli was beaten by the turn and played down the wrong line. He was no where close to the ball and the ball skid past the gap between bat and pad.

Leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal has been given the ball

Krishnappa Gowtham replaces Dhawal Kulkarni from the other end

Jofra Archer to Parthiv Patel, The best of the three in the over. Overpitched delivery on off, Parthiv sees that the mid off is up so he just lofts it over him for a boundary.

Jofra Archer to Parthiv Patel, Now this is down towards the fine leg fence. Good length delivery on leg, Patel glances it fine of fine leg for a boundary.

Jofra Archer to Parthiv Patel, Smart batting from Parthiv, just uses the pace of the bowler. Back of a length delivery on off, Parthiv upper cuts it as there is no one at third man. The ball races away to the fence.

Jofra Archer has replaced Krishnappa Gowtham into the attack

Dhawal Kulkarni to Parthiv Patel, Second boundary of the over. The over started with a four and ends with a four. Dhawal bowls it on the pads to Parthiv, who stays in his ground and just lofts it to the fine leg region. Boundary signaled. 

Dhawal Kulkarni to Virat Kohli, Dhawal Kulkarni to Virat Kohli, Back of a length ball on the legs, Kohli shuffles across and plays an uppish flick. There was no mid-wicket in place and the ball races away to the deep mid-wicket fence.

Dhawal Kulkarni to Virat Kohli, Edgy but Kohli will take it. Kulkarni holds his line and bowls it full around off, Kohli looks to push it but gets a thick outside edge. There is no slip and the ball races away to the third man fence. Harsh on the bowler.

Dhawal Kulkarni to share the new ball with Gowtham

Krishnappa Gowtham to Virat Kohli, First boundary off the day and it comes off the bat of Virat Kohli. Floated on the pads, Virat stylishly flicks it through deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Virat Kohli and Parthiv Patel to open for Bangalore while Krishnappa Gowtham has the ball for for Rajasthan

Virat Kohli says that they wanted to bat first anyways. He feels that the surface is dry and might slow down with overs. He hopes the dew stays away and they will look to defend the score that they put up. Informs us that they have 3 changes. Navdeep Saini, Akshdeep Nath, and Marcus Stoinis replace the trio of Shivam Dube, Prayas Ray Barman and Colin de Grandhomme.

Ajinkya Rahane feels it is a dry wicket and reckons dew might play a part later on. He mentions they are looking to restrict Bangalore and then later chase down the total. Informs there are two changes in his side, Samson is injured and he is replaced by Stuart Binny. Jaydev Unadkat is replaced by Varun Aaron.

Rajasthan Royals: Ajinkya Rahane (C), Jos Buttler (WK), Rahul Tripathi, Steven Smith, Ben Stokes, Stuart Binny, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Dhawal Kulkarni, Varun Aaron

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Parthiv Patel (WK), Moeen Ali, Virat Kohli (C), AB de Villiers, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Akshdeep Nath, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj

Ajinkya Rahane has won the toss and opted to field first.

Pacers have been more succesful on the turf compared to spinners but according to Ian Bishop, there are a few cracks to be exploited around the good length. However, there are runs on offer for batsmen who can apply themselves.

One of the ideas in Kohli's head would be to get Tim Southee into the side and hope that it works on the Jaipur pitch which usually does have something for the pacers. That said, it is not only the bowling that needs improvement, the batting too needs a rejig of sorts. The onus has to be taken by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, and that cannot be done in any other way than tackling the issue head-on. 

The duo have to be confident and try to face the most of the 20 overs. Thus, problems are there for both sides but for every problem there is surely a solution. Which team will be able to find solutions and put a 'W' against their name for the first time this year? This game from the Sawai Mansingh Stadium is surely not one you should miss!

Bangalore, on the other hand, well what to say. Season after season, year after year, despite having superstars in their side, they somehow manage to find a way to just nose-dive. This year has to be one of the worst possible starts, with a decent performance in a loss being sandwiched by a couple of thrashings on either side. In their skipper Virat Kohli's own words, 'one of the worst losses', 'it just cannot be explained'. All is not over yet though, and hope should not be lost, especially in the tournament as long as this. 11 league games are left for them and once a team starts putting a few wins on the board, things can change quickly.

Rajasthan have arguably played better cricket out of these two and should have had at least 2 points in their kitty by now had they held their nerve better in the games played so far. Even though they messed up in their matches, with a little bit of luck on their side, they could have been up and running. Their most recent encounter was on Sunday against Chennai in Chennai where they ended up getting super close to their target of 176 only to see themselves being thwarted by Dwayne Bravo in the final over. They surely will have a lot of positives as well as learning points that they can take forward from that game, the most important of them is to be able to keep their nerves in crunch situations as well as bowling at the death.

Match number 14 of the Indian T20 League will see the clash of the bottom two on the points table. Rajasthan host Bangalore in a match that will see at least one of them get off the mark, having endured 3 defeats on a trot each in their first 3 games.