RCB vs DC Game Plan 1: The face off of the South Africans

The 19th match of the IPL 2020 tournament between the blockbuster teams, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals, could all be about match-ups. We take a look at a key game plan that could play a role in the eighteenth game of IPL 2020 – RCB vs DC

Dale Steyn is as good a judge when it comes to fast bowling as any. The superstar, who shared a dressing room with Anrich Nortje had the simplest way to tell the world about the threat Nortje holds – “I am a big fan of the extremes, whether it is extreme hitting, extreme fielding, and especially, extreme fast bowling. Anrich really gets me excited. When he gets the likes of AB de Villiers to take two balls to have a look – and AB prides himself on not having a dot ball bowled to him, but he let two balls go through – he can be pretty proud himself about that,” Steyn said.

RCB vs DC – AB de Villiers vs Rabada and Nortje

Nortje, in partnership with Kagiso Rabada, has been on fire this IPL for Delhi Capitals. As they head into the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dubai, a massive challenge awaits them in the form of AB de Villiers.

There are two reasons this battle could well decide the contest:

• Delhi Capitals have thrived on their fast bowling duo in the powerplay and death overs and having to counter de Villiers, who is ruthless in at least one of these phases, pegs back Delhi’s plans a bit.
• Royal Challengers Bangalore have struggled to find a batsman other than de Villiers who can get going in the death overs if Virat Kohli continues his middling form.

                                                                RCB vs DC – Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje of Delhi Capitals could be a challenge for RCB

This effectively puts a lot of pressure on de Villiers to counter the threat his countrymates hold.

de Villiers, known for his 360 degree game, has been slightly less 360 in recent times, focusing on his game in front of the wicket more. This season, for instance, he is yet to play a ramp, scoop or anything of the like despite playing 82 balls.

That hasn’t pegged back his strike-rate, though, which stands at an impressive 178.05 overall. In front of the wicket, he has scored 82.87% of all his runs this season and strikes at a rate of 192.06.

Against Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada, though, he may not have that luxury. The hit-the-deck seamers bang into the wicket and generate extra lift and bounce.

In IPL 2020 so far, Nortje and Rabada have combined to take six wickets of short length deliveries with the latter conceding runs at just 7.12 when bowling short and 3.0 economy when bowling bouncers.

In short, Rabada and Nortje have thrived on bowling that back of a length against batsmen this IPL. But against de Villiers, this plan would need slight amends if the veteran South African batsman’s record so far in the season against pacers is anything to go by.

ALSO READ this EXCLUSIVE WITH ANRICH NORTJE before the RCB vs DC clash and Game Plan 2: Iyer vs Chahal

Against short-pitched balls de Villiers strikes at 13.71 runs per over, happily sitting back to pull over square leg. Bring it up to throat level, though, and the scoring rate comes down. They can least afford to go full length against him as his runs per over lifts to above 16 an over.

Pinpoint yorkers are also a good option against de Villiers particularly since his ramp shots have come less frequently, but there isn’t enough sample size from this season to state it’s a fool proof plan.

Rabada, at least, has had success against de Villiers when it comes to taking wickets. In the 8 balls he has bowled at de Villiers so far in professional T20s, Rabada has dismissed him twice! Nortje too has troubled de Villiers with the extra pace. While spin has been the go-to mantra against de Villiers, in the death, these two remain the best bets in countering the maverick batsman.