As Delhi Capitals (DC) gear up to face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 32 of IPL 2025, all eyes will be on the key player match-ups that could decide the outcome. Over the years, these individual battles have added extra excitement to the clash. From speedsters trying to outsmart top-order batters to spinners trying to trap power-hitters, here are the top five player battles to watch out for in this fixture. Top 5 Key Player Battles to Watch in DC vs RR Sno Players 1 Karun Nair vs Jofra Archer 2 KL Rahul vs Sandeep Sharma 3 Mitchell Starc vs Yashasvi Jaiswal 4 Mukesh Kumar vs Sanju Samson 5 Kuldeep Yadav vs Shimron Hetmyer Karun Nair vs Jofra Archer Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2018 1 3 1 2 0 0 33.3 1.0 Total 1 3 1 2 0 0 33.3 1.0 This battle may seem one-sided on paper, but it still holds interest given the history. Karun Nair has faced Jofra Archer just once in the 2018 IPL season. In that match-up, Archer bowled only three balls to Nair but managed to dismiss him for just one run. Out of those three balls, two were dot balls and there were no boundaries scored. This gives Archer a clear edge over Nair, with a strike rate of just 33.3 for the batter and an average of 1.0 in this contest. Although the sample size is small, it shows how lethal Archer can be even in brief spells. If these two face off again, it will be interesting to see if Nair can turn things around. Also Read | IPL 2025: PBKS vs KKR Clash Sparks Frenzy on Twitter KL Rahul vs Sandeep Sharma Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2014 2 2 0 0 0 0 100.0 - 2015 7 3 0 0 1 0 233.3 - 2016 4 2 0 1 1 0 200.0 - 2018 8 12 0 7 1 0 66.7 - 2019 27 20 0 5 2 1 135.0 - 2020 16 12 0 3 0 1 133.3 - 2021 7 9 0 5 1 0 77.8 - 2022 1 2 0 1 0 0 50.0 - 2023 8 6 0 2 1 0 133.3 - 2024 13 16 1 7 1 0 81.2 13.0 Total 93 84 1 31 8 2 110.7 93.0 One of the most exciting head-to-head contests in this match could be between KL Rahul and Sandeep Sharma. This rivalry goes way back to 2014, and they have faced each other in multiple seasons. In total, KL Rahul has scored 93 runs in 84 balls against Sandeep Sharma and has been dismissed just once in all these years. His strike rate stands at 110.7, and his average is an impressive 93.0 in this match-up. While Rahul hasn’t been overly aggressive against Sandeep, he has played him with control and consistency. The key for Sandeep will be to get that early breakthrough, especially since he has troubled the batters in the past with his swing in the powerplay overs. Mitchell Starc vs Yashasvi Jaiswal Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2024 9 5 0 2 2 0 180.0 - Total 9 5 0 2 2 0 180.0 - This is a battle between raw pace and fearless hitting. Mitchell Starc faced Yashasvi Jaiswal only once, during the 2024 season. In that match-up, Jaiswal scored 9 runs off just 5 balls without getting dismissed. His strike rate against Starc stands at a high 180.0. He also managed to hit two boundaries in that short face-off. Even though the contest was short, Jaiswal showed confidence and timing against one of the fastest bowlers in the game. If these two go head-to-head again, Jaiswal will be looking to dominate early, while Starc will try to knock over the young left-hander with pace and swing. Also Read | Marco gets Russel, seals thrilling win against KKR at Mullanpur Mukesh Kumar vs Sanju Samson Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2023 0 3 0 3 0 0 0.0 - 2024 28 13 1 5 5 1 215.4 28.0 Total 28 16 1 8 5 1 175.0 28.0 This battle could be a crucial one in the middle overs. Sanju Samson has had a mixed record against Mukesh Kumar. In the 2023 season, Mukesh bowled three balls to Samson and didn’t allow a single run, keeping him completely quiet. However, the tables turned in 2024 when Samson smashed 28 runs off 13 balls and was eventually dismissed. In total, Samson has scored 28 runs off 16 balls against Mukesh, with one dismissal. His strike rate is a strong 175.0, and he has hit five boundaries and one six. This means that while Mukesh had early success, Samson learned quickly and found a way to attack. This contest could shift momentum either way during the game. Kuldeep Yadav vs Shimron Hetmyer Year Runs Balls Outs Dots 4s 6s SR Avg 2023 1 2 0 1 0 0 50.0 - Total 1 2 0 1 0 0 50.0 - This contest hasn’t seen much action, but it is still worth watching. Shimron Hetmyer has faced Kuldeep Yadav only in the 2023 season. In that short duel, Hetmyer could score only one run off two deliveries. There were no boundaries, and one of those balls was a dot. Kuldeep has managed to keep Hetmyer quiet, and his variety and spin could trouble the left-handed batter again if they face off. With Hetmyer being a strong finisher, this battle could come up during the death overs and might be a turning point if Kuldeep bowls at that stage.