On paper, the Royal Challengers Bangalore seem to be a stronger side than the Delhi Daredevils but didn't we all think that was the case before the first game too. Delhi showed against the Knight Riders that they were anything but pushovers and went on to defeat Kolkata.
While Morne Morkel and Irfan Pathan turned out to be the star performers on the day for the Daredevils, one mustn't forget the contribution of Aaron Finch at the top of the order. His successive boundaries on two separate occasions put the pressure back on the opponents and he will be one player to watch out for when the Daredevils play Bangalore.
The other Australian in the Daredevils line-up is Glenn Maxwell - he can bat and give the ball a fair smack anywhere in the order, and he possesses the ability to send down his four overs of tweakers.
I am very impressed by the look of the Bangalore team though. It is early days and a lot depends on the kind of start they get but I would tip them win the competition. Gayle's brute power can win games anytime and Kohli's recent form has seen his elevation to national vice-captaincy.
Slow starters
Despite their opening loss, you can hardly discount a side like the Super Kings, who have started off slowly in the past. I liked the way Doug Bollinger bowled, and he'll get better as he keeps clocking the overs in the tournament. He has fallen off the radar a little as far as the place in the national side is concerned but this will be a good opportunity for him to show his mettle.
Slow starters
Despite their opening loss, you can hardly discount a side like the Super Kings, who have started off slowly in the past. I liked the way Doug Bollinger bowled, and he'll get better as he keeps clocking the overs in the tournament. He has fallen off the radar a little as far as the place in the national side is concerned but this will be a good opportunity for him to show his mettle.