Last Updated on 2 weeks by Charbel Coorey
IPL 2021 Match 52: RCB vs SRH Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BLR vs SRH Dream11 Prediction Today | Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
Royal Challengers Bangalore, who have sprung into great form after two defeats to start the UAE leg, still have the chance to achieve a top two finish. Two victories in their last two matches will put them on 20 points, and RCB will be hoping CSK lose to Punjab Kings tomorrow given their much inferior net run rate.
Nonetheless, it has been a good season for Virat Kohli’s team to date, headlined by Glenn Maxwell, Harshal Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal in particular. These three have helped RCB solve longstanding issues such as their middle overs batting and bowling, as well as their death bowling.
Today, they get no better chance to keep their top two hopes alive than with a match against struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad. A season from hell for SRH has seen just two victories out of a possible 12, with their batting struggles at the forefront of a terrible campaign. However, they can take hope from their fighting displays with the ball in recent matches, and will be looking to keep RCB’s excellent batting lineup in check to achieve a rare win this season.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Royal Challengers Bangalore:
- Glenn Maxwell has had a dream season. He has scored the most runs of any RCB player this season (11 inns, 407 runs, avg. 40.70, SR 145.35), and has three consecutive half-centuries to his name.
- Also, Maxwell scored a 41-ball 59 against SRH earlier this season. At Abu Dhabi, Maxwell has 147 runs in six innings at an average of 36.75 and strike rate of 145.54.
- Virat Kohli has made four starts in a row (53, 51, 25, 25) and will be aiming to carry on today. He has a solid record vs SRH, with 564 runs to his name in 17 innings at an average of 37.60 and strike rate of 137.56.
- Kohli has scored 160 runs in seven innings at Abu Dhabi at an average of 32.00 and strike rate of 111.11.
- AB de Villiers is yet to dominate in the UAE leg as fans know he can. SRH may well look to keep Rashid Khan for ABD, as Rashid has dismissed de Villiers three times in six innings in the IPL including earlier this season.
- Overall, ABD has a solid record vs SRH (16 inns, 521 runs, avg. 34.73, SR 155.52), but how he deals with Rashid will make for interesting viewing.
- Yuzvendra Chahal has been simply outstanding in the UAE leg. He has taken figures of 1/23, 1/26, 3/11, 2/18 and 3/29. Also, he enjoys bowling at Abu Dhabi, with 10 wickets in seven matches at an average of 16.90 and strike rate of 15.00.
- Chahal takes a wicket every 21.44 deliveries in 15 matches vs SRH. However, given Chahal’s form and SRH’s batting struggles this time around, one can feel confident of another strong Chahal performance.
- Harshal Patel went wicketless last match vs Punjab (0/27), but remains the Purple Cap holder with 26 scalps in 12 matches. He took 2/29 vs SRH earlier this season.
- Mohammed Siraj has taken just one wicket in five matches in the UAE leg. He will be hoping to return to form today against a team he has eight wickets against in six matches (avg. 21). Also, Siraj took 2/25 against SRH earlier this season including a maiden, as well as 3/8 vs KKR on this ground last year.
Sunrisers Hyderabad:
- Kane Williamson has made four double-figure scores in five matches in the UAE leg for just the one half-century. SRH fans will be hoping today is the day Williamson makes it another 50+ score against a favourable opponent: 7 inns vs RCB, 320 runs, avg. 64.00, SR 139.74.
- Also, Williamson has a good record at Abu Dhabi, with two half-centuries in four matches (total of 187 runs, avg. 62.33, SR 139.55).
- Jason Roy averages 24 against right-arm leg-spin with a strike rate of 130 in T20 cricket. The Abu Dhabi surface was good for batting in the recent RR-CSK match, and if that’s the case again today, Roy will benefit.
- Jason Holder has been one of the bright spots in a tough campaign for SRH. The West Indian all-rounder has taken eight wickets in four matches in the UAE leg. Plus, he took 3/30 vs RCB earlier this season, including both Kohli (33) and Maxwell (59).
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken just two wickets in five matches in the UAE leg. No SRH bowler has taken more wickets than Kumar’s 15 vs RCB (avg. 25.73), so both he and SRH will be hoping he returns to the wickets column today.
- As mentioned, Rashid Khan has a fine record vs ABD in IPL (38 runs at an average of 12.7 and a batting strike rate of 73). Overall vs RCB, Rashid Khan has taken 10 wickets in nine matches at an average of 25.80 and economy rate of 7.17, including 2/18 earlier this season.
- Rashid has taken one wicket in each of his five matches in the UAE leg. Also, he strikes every 20 deliveries on average at Abu Dhabi.
Stats and Facts
- The David Warner days at SRH look all but over. But, if SRH were going to give Warner a game, it’d be this one. Against RCB, Warner has smashed 647 runs in 13 innings at an average of 58.82 and strike rate of 168.80.
- Devdutt Padikkal scored a half-century on IPL debut vs SRH last season. However, he has scored just 17 runs in three innings vs SRH since that knock. But, he returns to a ground he enjoys batting at, with three 50+ scores in six matches.
- SRH may look to play Sandeep Sharma who has dismissed Virat Kohli seven times in IPL.
Possible Playing 11
Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1. Virat Kohli (c), 2. Devdutt Paddikal, 3. Srikar Bharat (wk), 4. Glenn Maxwell, 5. AB de Villiers, 6. Dan Christian, 7. Shahbaz Ahmed, 8. George Garton/Wanindu Hasaranga, 9. Harshal Patel, 10. Yuzvendra Chahal, 11. Mohammed Siraj
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3. Kane Williamson (c), 4. Priyam Garg, 5. Abhishek Sharma, 6. Abdul Samad, 7. Jason Holder, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. Siddarth Kaul/Sandeep Sharma, 11. Umran Malik
Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather
RCB were rolled for 92 in their only match at Abu Dhabi so far in IPL 2021. However, the pitch has been pretty good for batting in recent games, with RR chasing CSK’s 189 with ease over the weekend. The average first innings score on this ground this season is 149.33, with the chasing team winning five of the six matches.
The forecast is for more clear and warm weather.
Dream11 Prediction
Note: Teams below are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these teams in time after the final playing XIs have been announced.
Option 1:

Option 2:

Fan2Play Prediction
Base team:
- Wicket-keepers: Wriddhiman Saha
- Batsmen: Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson
- All-rounders: Glenn Maxwell, Jason Holder
- Bowlers: Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rashid Khan
Also read: Fan2Play vs Dream11 – What’s the difference?
Match Prediction
SRH have nothing to lose, but RCB look far more confident and well-rounded. RCB should win this.