Rajasthan Royals Face Off Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Thrilling IPL Encounter

JAIPUR, India — The Rajasthan Royals (RR) are set to clash with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 28th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday, April 13, 2025. After a challenging season start, the Royals hope to stabilize their performance upon returning to the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

RR began their season with mixed results, having played their initial matches in Guwahati before returning to Jaipur. This match represents an opportunity for them to bounce back from recent setbacks, including a significant loss to the Gujarat Titans (GT). Meanwhile, RCB enters the match in commendable away form, having recently secured victories against formidable opponents like the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

RCB’s away statistics are impressive, averaging 39.6 runs per wicket at a rate of 10.5 runs per over. In contrast, their home performance has shown starkly lower numbers: 22.1 runs per wicket and 8.3 runs per over. Their bowling has also improved significantly on the road, with an average of 21.2 runs per wicket compared to 56.4 at home. Captain Rajat Patidar expressed confidence in his team as they aim to continue this away triumph.

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson acknowledged the difficulty of adapting to two different home venues this season. “We need to be flexible and adapt to the conditions while ensuring we don’t become overly dependent on defending totals,” he said. “Our focus must be on winning games whether we are batting first or second.”

Both teams will call upon their Indian stars to shine in this contest. The matchup features several notable players, including Samson, Riyan Parag, and Jofra Archer for RR, while RCB will rely on Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, and Rajat Patidar.

Jofra Archer has shown significant improvement, having recently taken five wickets over his last three matches with an average of 6.2 runs per over. In contrast, RCB’s Liam Livingstone has struggled lately, scoring only 4 and 0 runs in his previous two outings. RCB hopes to revive Livingstone’s form to bolster their middle order.

As the temperature in Jaipur is expected to soar to around 38 degrees Celsius during the afternoon, stamina will be a critical factor in this match, scheduled for a 3:30 PM local start. The pitch conditions may also play a crucial role, with curators needing to balance moisture levels to support bowlers while ensuring a reasonable batting surface.

“We are keen on respecting the match conditions and are adaptable enough to play responsively during the game,” Samson reiterated, highlighting the importance of strategic batting and bowling choices. “I believe we have dug ourselves out of the initial rough patch and are focused on winning as many games as possible.”

Both squads are poised for a competitive showdown as they strive for crucial points in the tournament. As fans gather at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, the anticipation builds for what promises to be an electrifying match.