THE RCB HAVE A POINT TO PROVE

The Royal Challengers Bangalore have got a point to prove when they meet the Mumbai Indians today in their final league game of the tournament and Anil Kumble would want to win the game and ensure the birth in semi finals rather than depending on the other results. The team has got the quality and ability but it still has suffered a few set backs. The team lost both of its matches against the DC both of which it should have won. With the likes of Kallis, Pietersen, Uthappa, Dravid in batting and the likes of Steyn and Kumble in the bowling, this team has got the best balance in this tournament but still lacks something in it because of which it has lost six of its games.

DRAVID BACK IN FORM

The team management would be happy to see Dravid back in form. Dravid was promoted up the order in two games one against KKR and DC and Dravid had scores of 52(35) and 49(35) respectively. He was aggressive and was classical as well. Dravid is kind of player who would like to spend some balls in the middle and then go for the big shots. That was the way he played against the KKR when he was just 39 of 31 balls and hit Agarkar for a couple of consecutive sixes. Dravid is still perishable for that slow ball - both these games he was out trying to hit a slow ball- but i am sure the maestro would correct his mistakes in the upcoming matches. Of the 9 boundaries hit by the RCB against the DC, 8 were hit by Dravid and all of those shots came of sheer timing and placement. Kumble would want to have his service in today's match up against MI and in the semi finals and the finals of the tournament.

THE HOME ADVANTAGE

The team will have the added home advantage, Sachin has support all over India though. The team would want to ensure that they win this game because they know that this is just the 52nd match and there are four more to go and anything can happen in the course of those four matches. Anil Kumble would like to take the home advantage in this case and none other than him know that Bangalore pitch better. M.Chinnaswamy stadium has been a wonderful center for Indian cricket and when the two of the greats meet each other, it would be really a great game.

STEYN TENDULKAR FACE OFF

One face off that i would love to see is between Steyn and Tendulkar. The world's premier bowler bowling to the cricket's best batsman. The key to Sachin's success is been scoring of almost every balls he has played. Ironically the key to Steyn's success is bowling a large number of dot balls. It would really be interesting how Steyn varies his pace against Tendulkar because the champion batsman uses the pace of the ball very effectively and the main essence of Steyn's bowling is pace.

MUMBAI WOULD NOT RELAX

Though Mumbai Indians have already qualified to the semi finals, I don't think that Sachin would ever allow his men to relax. We saw that against the DD when the MI won the game which actually DD where very much in course of winning. Pollard at last had the last laugh with that superb innings against DD and complimenting the batting performance with an all round show of bowling and fielding. Tendulkar would like to keep winning and keep the momentum their way which most important in this format of the game.

The RCB have got the fire power with them and they would need to perform on field. They are definitely a better side on paper, and given the home advantage, they are definitely the favourites for the game.