If there ever is a documentary made after Royal Challengers Bengaluru, their IPL 2024 chapter promises to be the most detailed, decorated and most read, given the nature of their campaign. They were gone, pretty much out of it. Having lost six out of their first seven matches, RCB needed to win the remaining six and depend on the outcomes of other games and then some to qualify for the Playoffs. A month later, call it a twist of fate or whatever, here they are, in the top four and gunning for that elusive IPL trophy.

They have won six matches in a row – RCB's second-longest winning streak – and now stand three steps away from ending their 16-year-wait. Their first pitstop runs through Ahmedabad Wednesday evening, where RCB await the oddly out-of-form Rajasthan Royals in the all-important Eliminator. One team, advances to play Qualifier 2, while the other heads home, and Sunil Gavaskar is fearful that a game as high-octane as an IPL Eliminator might end up being one-way traffic.

Gavaskar, who has been vocal about his feelings towards Virat Kohli, now credits the same guy with turning the team's fortunes around. While RCB have been on an upward curve, RR have cut a stark and contrasting figure, losing all four of their last games. On current form, there is only one favourite, and one winner on paper – RCB – but when have matches ever been decided outside the ground, eh?

"What RCB have done has been absolutely phenomenal. Nothing short of phenomenal. Firstly, to believe that they can bounce back takes something special. The leading players there, Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, and other senior players, must be the ones most encouraging to the other team members. Other team members can quickly get into a situation where they might feel we've lost everything. It's up to the seniors, and I think they have done their job. They have done it by showing them how. Faf and Virat have played extraordinary cricket," Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

"Rajasthan, on the other hand, have lost their last four or five matches, and they didn't play well in their last game. So they've been out of practice. Now, unless they do something special like KKR did today, despite not playing for 11 days, it could turn out to be another one-sided game tomorrow. My fear is that it will be another one-sided game where RCB, who are playing just absolutely phenomenal cricket, will walk all over RR."

Pietersen rules out any fight from Rajasthan Royals

Everything has come together for RCB. Kohli, Faf du Plessis and Rajat Patidar's consistency has ensured the batting fires at the top of the order, whereas the bowling, which for years has been RCB's bane, is putting up a spirited fight. However, the same cannot be said for RR. Barring captain Sanju Samson, the batters have lacked consistency, and the one who did, Jos Buttler – has flown back to England, preparing for the T20 World Cup. Kevin Pietersen, a former RCB player himself, not only agrees with Gavaskar's assessment but has ruled out the possibility of a fightback from the Royals.

"RCB is playing cricket as well as they've ever played. They've got themselves to a situation where momentum is all in their favour. They've got bowlers bowling well, batters batting brilliantly, and Faf du Plessis leading them as well as he's ever led a team. So, I find it very, very hard to think that Rajasthan are going to put up a fight tomorrow. They've lost Jos Buttler, and Jos Buttler is such a big player. When you open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, and you know that he looks up to Jos so much, it is such a big loss," Pietersen told Star Sports.

"It's actually quite sad that the England players have had to leave this tournament and they're not here on the bigger stage. I'm sure the players would love to be playing here on the bigger stage in Ahmedabad and then off to Chennai to play the finals. This tournament deserves that, and it's just unfortunate that some of the biggest players in the world are not going to be here."

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