Key Points

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have had a rather unusual IPL 2025 campaign so far -- flawless on the road with four wins in as many away games, yet winless at home with two consecutive defeats. They're back at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday night, hoping to finally break their losing streak on home turf.

Unlike its previous reputation as a batting haven, the Bengaluru surface has proven tricky this season, particularly for teams batting first. RCB's batting coach Dinesh Karthik acknowledged that scoring has been difficult, especially early in the innings. In both home matches, RCB lost the toss and had to set a target, managing only 169 and 163 respectively.

Against Gujarat Titans, they struggled with swing and seam, while Delhi's spinners exploited the two-paced surface to great effect.

Friday night's conditions may offer similar challenges. Persistent rains over the past week, including some showers earlier in the day, have added an extra layer of uncertainty.

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) boast a line-up brimming with intent and swagger, packed with explosive hitters -- a quality they share with their next opponents, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Both teams enter the mid-point of the season with identical 4/2 win/loss records, setting the stage for a potential high-scoring clash in Bengaluru. It's also the first of two face-offs between the sides within just three days.

However, the Chinnaswamy Stadium hasn't exactly lived up to its batting-friendly reputation this year. The surfaces have been more challenging than expected, adding to RCB's ongoing home struggles. In both their home fixtures so far, RCB batted first but couldn't post more than 170.

RCB have had a solid start to their campaign with four wins in six matches. However, both their defeats -- against Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals -- came at home, where they failed to defend below-par totals. In both games, the first innings scores hovered below 170, and bowlers from visiting sides made better use of the surface than the RCB attack, which was unusually ineffective in those encounters.

This isn't the first time concerns have been raised about the Chinnaswamy pitch this season. RCB mentor Dinesh Karthik had earlier expressed that the slow, sticky nature of the surface was hurting their power-packed batting line-up.

- IANS