The IPL is always abuzz with electrifying contests, and the encounter between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Match 28 of IPL 2025 is no exception. Player duels often determine the course of major matches. Here are four interesting face-offs to look out for in this high-tension match. Top 4 Key Player Battles to Watch in RR vs RCB Sno Players 1 Sanju Samson vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Yash Dayal 3 Sandeep Sharma vs Virat Kohli 4 Maheesh Theekshana vs Rajat Patidar Sanju Samson vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2013 1 2 0 1 0 0 50.0 - 2014 4 9 1 5 0 0 44.4 4.0 2015 17 12 1 6 0 2 141.7 17.0 2016 12 10 0 3 0 0 120.0 - 2017 15 15 0 9 2 0 100.0 - 2018 9 5 0 2 2 0 180.0 - 2019 32 11 0 1 5 1 290.9 - 2021 21 20 0 9 3 0 105.0 - 2022 0 1 1 1 0 0 0.0 0.0 2023 7 4 0 0 1 0 175.0 - 2024 0 3 1 3 0 0 0.0 0.0 Total 118 92 4 40 13 3 128.3 29.5 Sanju Samson has faced Bhuvneshwar Kumar many times over the years, and this battle has been quite interesting. Since 2013, Samson has scored 118 runs from 92 balls against Bhuvneshwar. He has been dismissed four times in those innings. At times, Samson has looked very comfortable, especially in 2019 when he smashed 32 runs off just 11 balls, hitting five fours and a six. But there have been some tough years too. For example, in 2022 and 2024, Bhuvneshwar got him out for zero. In 2022, he bowled just one ball to Samson and dismissed him. Again in 2024, he bowled three dot balls and got him out without scoring. Overall, Samson strikes at about 128 against Bhuvneshwar, which shows he doesn’t always dominate but can take him on when in form. With a batting average of 29.5 in this matchup, it’s clear that Bhuvneshwar has challenged Samson over the years. Also Read | Watch: Ishan Kishan’s Sloppy Fielding Effort Leaves Fans Hilariously Surprised Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Yash Dayal Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2022 11 12 2 8 0 1 91.7 5.5 2024 17 7 0 2 4 0 242.9 - Total 28 19 2 10 4 1 147.4 14.0 This is a relatively newer rivalry, but it already has some spark. Jaiswal has played two IPL seasons against Yash Dayal so far. In 2022, Dayal had the upper hand, getting Jaiswal out twice while keeping the scoring rate low. Jaiswal managed only 11 runs from 12 balls in that match. But things changed in 2024. Jaiswal came back strong and scored 17 runs from just 7 balls without getting out. He smashed four boundaries and looked in complete control. Overall, Jaiswal has made 28 runs off 19 balls against Dayal and has been dismissed twice. His strike rate stands at 147, showing he can attack but also has to be careful. This year’s contest will be about whether Dayal can bounce back or if Jaiswal continues his dominance. Sandeep Sharma vs Virat Kohli Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2013 10 4 0 0 2 0 250.0 - 2014 4 3 2 2 1 0 133.3 2.0 2015 2 5 1 3 0 0 40.0 2.0 2016 32 15 1 5 5 1 213.3 32.0 2017 6 4 1 2 1 0 150.0 6.0 2018 7 5 0 1 1 0 140.0 - 2019 1 6 1 5 0 0 16.7 1.0 2020 11 13 1 5 0 0 84.6 11.0 2022 5 4 0 0 0 0 125.0 - 2023 9 8 0 2 1 0 112.5 - 2024 17 7 0 0 3 0 242.9 - Total 104 74 7 25 14 1 140.5 14.9 This is one of the longest-running battles in IPL history. Sandeep Sharma has bowled to Virat Kohli across 11 seasons and has dismissed him seven times, which is a lot. Kohli has scored 104 runs off 74 balls in this matchup. In some matches, Sandeep has completely dominated. In 2014 and 2015, Kohli was dismissed for just 4 and 2 runs. In 2019, Kohli scored only 1 run off 6 balls before getting out. However, Kohli has also had his moments. In 2016, he smashed 32 runs off just 15 balls, including five boundaries and a six. More recently, in 2024, Kohli hit 17 off 7 balls, showing signs of attacking confidence. Even though Kohli’s strike rate is around 140 against Sandeep, his average is only about 15, which shows Sandeep often finds a way to get him out. This is a key battle that could shape the match. Also Read | Pooran and Markram’s Power-Packed Fifties Seal Easy Win for LSG Maheesh Theekshana vs Rajat Patidar Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2022 6 3 0 0 1 0 200.0 - 2024 9 5 0 1 0 1 180.0 - Total 15 8 0 1 1 1 187.5 - This is another fairly new matchup but still one to keep an eye on. Patidar has faced Theekshana only twice so far. In those two games, he has looked very comfortable. In 2022, he scored 6 runs off 3 balls, and in 2024, he added another 9 runs off 5 balls. In total, Patidar has made 15 runs from 8 balls against Theekshana and has never been dismissed. He also hit one boundary and one six, and his strike rate in this battle is nearly 188. That’s very high, especially against a spinner like Theekshana who usually keeps things tight. It will be interesting to see if Patidar can continue his clean hitting or if Theekshana can finally get him out and turn the tide in this contest.