Rajasthan Royals v Punjab Kings IPL Tips: Can Royals halt the slide?

• Buttler out of tournament

• Barsapara full of runs

• Maharaj can expose Punjab again

• Read about Ed's Betfair Exchange strategy below

Rajasthan Royals v Punjab Kings
Tuesday 15 May, 15:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Rajasthan Royals v Punjab Kings team news

Jos Buttler has gone home leaving a low-on-confidence Royals batting line-up short. Tom Kohler-Cadmore could open in his place or the left-field option is Ravi Ashwin. He was used once as an opener last term.

Possible XI: Jaiswal, Kohler-Cadmore, Samson, Parag, Jurel, Dubey/Maharaj (subs), Ashwin, Boult, Avesh, Sandeep, Chahal

Punjab are without Liam Livingstone who has also departed. Jonny Bairstow and Sam Curran will leave later this week so this should be their last game. Shikhar Dhawan may replace Prab Singh. Kagiso Rabada may be angling for a break again with the World CUp next month key.

Possible XI: Bairstow, Prab Singh/Dhawan, Rossouw, Shashank, Jitesh/Arshdeep (subs), S Curran, Ashutosh, Harpreet, Harshal, Chahar, Kaverappa

Rajasthan Royals v Punjab Kings pitch report

There have been four games at Barsapara since October 2022. Two were in T20I with both teams post 220. And last season in IPL Rajasthan defended 199 against Delhi but lost to Punjab in a chase of 197 by five. We expect runs, then. A par line of over 201.5 runs looks cheap.

Rajasthan Royals v Punjab Kings match prediction

Rajasthan are 1.768/11 with Punjab 2.285/4. That's not a good price about a Royals team which is depleted and has lost three on the bounce. Punjab, already out of the play-off picture, are only ever a side to be trusted at odds-against, of course, and even at those odds many will loathe to get involved if they have to bowl first.

Rajasthan Royals v Punjab Kings Exchange strategy

That informs our Exchange strategy. We're betting on the Barsapara surface being flat and true. To that end if Punjab bat first we could see a flip on the odds.

A strong batting showing from Punjab should have them favourites at the break at Royals' starting price. More than 200 is a minimum.

Rajasthan Royals v Punjab Kings player bets

Sportsbook have not listed Kohler-Cadmore for top Royals bat. Ashwin is 25/126.00 but we could also consider Dhruv Jurel at 17/29.50. Jurel has opened the batting once in the Syed Mushtaq. Yas Jaiswal got 60 off 31 at this venue versus Punjab last year and gets a boost to 11/4.

Ravi Jadeja, Sai Kishore and Noor Ahmed have 11 wickets between them against Punjab this term. So Keshav Maharaj should be a bet once listed at around the 7/24.50 mark. Maharaj was top wicket-taker when the sides met earlier this season.

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