Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals will clash in the first day-match of the 2020 Indian Premier League on Saturday. The match will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Only NRR points separate both the sides in the tournament so far. Both have four points with two wins in three matches, and while RR are fourth, RCB closely follow them at fifth.
Conditions have played a significant role in the tournament so far, and Rajasthan Royals' Shreyas Gopal insists that the side needs to assess them efficiently as they take on Virat Kohli's side.
"It’s our first day-game, so honestly, we’ll need to assess the conditions when we go there and get to the ground. We can’t really estimate anything sitting here, we’ve practised during the day a few times in the ICC academy so we’ll go there and take a call there itself. It shouldn’t be too different. There might not be dew other than that I feel it’ll be a really good wicket and a good contest," said Gopal.
Heaping praise on the Bangalore franchise, Gopal said that they are a "tough opponent."
"RCB has always been a good team, a tough opponent. This year they’ve started off pretty well and won good games. It’s going to be a great game I’m sure. It’ll be a great contest between bat and bowl and am really looking forward to playing against them, hopefully, we can put our third win on the board and take things forward for us as a side," said the leg-spinner.
RCB came back strongly after a heavy 97-run defeat in their second match of the season, as they beat Mumbai Indians in the Super Over in their third game. RR, meanwhile, faced their first defeat of the season against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.