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Bengaluru: Former India cricketer Akash Chopra has predicted a challenging outing for Virat Kohli in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Indian Premier League clash against Rajasthan Royals on April 10.

Despite Kohli’s strong start to the season, Chopra believes Rajasthan will look to exploit a favourable match-up by deploying Sandeep Sharma early to break Bengaluru’s opening partnership during the powerplay.

Key Kohli–Sandeep battle in focus

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that Kohli has historically struggled against Sandeep Sharma. While the Indian batting star has maintained a decent strike rate, his overall numbers against the pacer are not particularly strong.

In 18 innings against Sandeep, Kohli has scored 132 runs at a strike rate of 150 but has been dismissed seven times. This pattern makes the contest an important tactical battle, especially with Kohli expected to open the innings.

“Sandeep Sharma vs Virat Kohli again is a story,” Chopra noted, adding that Kohli does not enjoy facing bowlers who rely more on variation than pace.

High-stakes clash at top of the table

The encounter gains added significance as both Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals remain unbeaten and are positioned at the top of the points table. The outcome could influence early momentum in the tournament.

Kohli, who has scored 97 runs in two matches so far, has been in good touch. Meanwhile, Sandeep Sharma has quietly played a key role for Rajasthan with economical spells, despite picking up only three wickets.

Other key match-ups to watch

Chopra also highlighted several other player battles that could shape the contest. Rajasthan’s pace duo of Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger are expected to test Bengaluru’s batting line-up with the new ball.

For RCB, Devdutt Padikkal has been in exceptional form, scoring consecutive fifties at a strike rate above 200. His strong record against Rajasthan Royals makes him a crucial player in the upcoming clash.

On the other hand, Phil Salt is still looking for consistency, having scored 54 runs in two innings this season.

Match likely to hinge on key phases

With multiple high-impact players on both sides, the match is expected to be decided by performances in critical phases such as the powerplay and death overs. The Kohli-Sandeep duel, in particular, could set the tone early in the innings.

Conclusion

As Royal Challengers Bengaluru prepare to face Rajasthan Royals, all eyes will be on the battle between Virat Kohli and Sandeep Sharma. With both teams in strong form, the clash promises to be a closely contested encounter shaped by key individual performances.