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In a blockbuster match of the IPL 2026, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati on Thursday. The match is expected to be a high-scoring entertainer with plenty of things on the card, with both teams equipped with a powerful batting lineup and a lethal bowling attack. 

On one hand, the defending champions started with two dominant victories against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and then their arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Batters dominated both matches for RCB. The star players like Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Padikkal, and Tim David are already breathing fire with their batting form. On the other hand, the Rajasthan Royals have dominated all three matches so far with their bowling. While their pace unit, including Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, and Sandeep Sharma, are creating mayhem, their spinners have delivered at crucial moments. 

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The top order of RCB has been looking in good touch, but will they be able to deliver against the likes of Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma? Jofra Archer might not have taken some big wickets so far, but he has been very efficient with the bowling, especially with his line and length. We are going to look at the statistics of the opening duo of Virat Kohli and Phil Salt against Jofra Archer in the IPL.

Powerplay in this format is everything. This sets the tone and gives momentum to the rest of the players for their innings. Considering how brutal the duo of Virat Kohli and Phil Salt can be in the first 6 overs, they possess brilliant stats in the powerplay. 

Virat Kohli has faced 31 deliveries from Jofra Archer in his IPL career so far and has managed only 25 runs, including five fours and just one six at a batting strike rate of 124. On the other hand, Phil Salt has managed to score 23 runs off 16 deliveries from this bowler at a strike rate of 144. This includes two fours and two sixes. These two batters haven’t scored big runs against this bowler, but their record has been impressive. They haven’t been dismissed by Archer in the power play, which gives them a psychological advantage over this bowler. 

The real gameplay begins after the end of the power play. Starting from Virat Kohli, the RCB legend has faced 17 deliveries and has managed only 16 runs with one dismissal. Meanwhile, Phil Salt is yet to face Archer outside the power play. Virat Kohli hasn’t faced big trouble against any bowler after the power play, but these records are a sign of worry. If RCB needs to put up a giant total on the scoreboard yet again, one of these two batters will need to play cautiously against Archer and utilize the boundaries from the slotted deliveries.