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Former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta believes the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will hold the edge over Delhi Capitals (DC) in their IPL 2026 encounter on Monday, citing Delhi's dip in confidence and RCB's strong all-round form this season.
Speaking on Star Sports as a JioStar expert, Dasgupta pointed to Delhi's recent heavy defeat against Punjab Kings (PBKS) as a key concern. "I think RCB have the edge ahead of their match against DC because DC are short on confidence, especially after the way they lost their last match against Punjab," he said. He added that while Delhi's massive total in that game showed their batting strength, their bowling and fielding remained a major concern. KL Rahul's mammoth knock of an unbeaten 152 went in vain as the Delhi Capitals suffered a six-wicket defeat to the Punjab Kings (PBKS) after they pulled off a record-breaking chase of 265 at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday. "Not being able to defend a score of 264 hurts your team's morale. That said, when you score 260-plus, it shows you're doing something right. But their bowling wasn't up to the mark, and fielding was subpar as well," Dasgupta noted. Turning his attention to RCB, he praised their current form and balanced performances, especially with the ball. "RCB are playing an incredible brand of cricket right now. Their bowling seems to be on point," he said. However, he acknowledged the absence of opener Phil Salt as a potential concern, while highlighting the opportunity for Jacob Bethell to step up. "The only thing that might worry them is the absence of Phil Salt at the top. But they have Jacob Bethell, who became a star in the T20 World Cup. Him forming a left-hand right-hand opening combination with Virat Kohli could work wonders," Dasgupta added. Defending champions RCB are currently placed second on the points table with 10 points, and will be looking to further strengthen their position as the tournament progresses. (ANI)
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