Hear it from the man himself, Ravichandran Ashwin, who has backed the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to win their all-important IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). The first playoff fixture will be played at the Mullanpur Stadium in New Chandigarh on May 29, Thursday. Ashwin sees RCB going past PBKS despite labelling the Shreyas Iyer-led side as a “complete team”.
Ashwin explains PBKS’ problem
While speaking on his YouTube channel, Ravinchandran Ashwin explained that the Punjab team would definitely miss Marco Jansen. The tall left-armer has left the IPL to prepare for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final clash against Australia. His services will definitely leave a hole in the PBKS bowling unit. In place of him, Iyer might add Azmatullah Omarzai, but he’s no Jansen.
“PBKS looks like the team to beat. They have got all bases covered. The one problem they have is that Marco Jansen won’t be there, who has done alright for them. Equally, RCB have got their own issues; Hazlewood’s unavailability is making the bowling look here and there.”
Jansen’s loss coincides with RCB’s Josh Hazlewood gain. Ashwin also goes to say that the battle between PBKS’ opening duo, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, and the RCB bowling could decide the outcome.
“I think this game will be entirely dependent on how RCB go up against PBKS’ opening pair. I might not be surprised if RCB go through to the final with this team. My instinct and hunch tell me that RCB will go through the final after Qualifier 1,” Ashwin explained.
Factors that favour RCB
- Hazlewood’s availability
- Virat Kohli & Phil Salt’s form
- Beat PBKS at the same venue this season
- Scripted a come-from-behind win; momentum on their side
- PBKS’ Marco Jansen not available
Factors that favour PBKS
- One of the best batting unit
- Form of Prabhsimran, Arya, Iyer
- Arshdeep Singh’s menace
- Home advantage
- Finished at top of the table
