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Todd Boehly is "prepared to sell" Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher despite the fact that Mauricio Pochettino wants to keep the player at Stamford Bridge next season, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Gallagher leaving Chelsea?

Considering just how many players have left the Blues this summer, it has come as something of a surprise that Gallagher is still at Stamford Bridge.

While he did feature readily for Chelsea last season, making 35 Premier League appearances under three separate managers, the indefatigable midfielder struggled to make a significant impact in an underperforming side.

Given the ruthlessness of Chelsea's summer rebuild, allowing the likes of Mason Mount, N'Golo Kante and Kai Havertz to leave the club, there was an expectation that Gallagher would have been one of those moved on to help the Blues recoup some funds.

However, Pochettino's arrival has altered things significantly, and it is believed that the new Chelsea boss is eager to keep Gallagher at Stamford Bridge next season.

Chelsea's hierarchy have a different opinion, however, and they would be prepared to sell the midfielder this summer despite Pochettino's high opinion of the 23-year-old, according to journalist Jacobs.

Talking directly to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs stated: "Gallagher's perspective is that he's a Chelsea player and he wants to fight for his place. But Pochettino and the Chelsea board still need to get the squad size down.

"Whereas Pochettino quite likes Gallagher and he is not necessarily the first name out of the players that Chelsea need to resolve, I think the Chelsea board would have a slightly different perspective and would be prepared to sell Gallagher for the right price.

"There's a few moving parts here. There's a football decision to be made and Gallagher is quite happy to fight for his place after getting a lot of pre-season minutes. There's the Pochettino perspective and he has been very impressed by Gallagher. He said that during the American tour."

He added: "But if the right number is hit in terms of an offer, I think the Chelsea board would be prepared to sell him."

Chelsea recently rejected a £40m bid from West Ham United for the midfielder which suggests that perhaps Boehly is willing to support Pochettino's decision to keep Gallagher at the club for the 2023/24 campaign.

However, as Jacobs suggests, an improved West Ham bid may be too tempting to turn down, especially as Chelsea look to fund a move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.

Gallagher's current contract runs until 2025 and the England international will be hopeful of reviving his Chelsea career under Pochettino's guidance.

How good is Gallagher?

Gallagher usually operates as a number eight for Chelsea, making it important that he can contribute effectively to both attacking and defensive phases of play.

Gallagher's attacking impact was not as eye-catching as his defensive work last season. He did score three goals and register one assist in the Premier League, a total that put him in the top 36% of midfielders in the competition.

When comparing Gallagher to other midfielders in the Premier League last campaign, it is clear that he is in the right positions to contribute to Chelsea's attack but lacks some of the composure necessary to score and assist more.

While averaging 1.55 shots per game, these shots come from an average distance of 17.9 yards from goal. These lower-reward efforts from the edge of the area perhaps demonstrate why his goal tally is not higher, highlighting the need for Gallagher to make more productive runs into the penalty area to find shooting angles – something he showcased his ability to do during his loan spell with Crystal Palace.

Defensively, however, Gallagher can be very productive. Per 90 last season in the Premier League he averaged 1.83 tackles won (top ten percent of midfielders), 2.28 blocks (top four percent) and 0.58 tackles in the attacking third (top three percent), the latter showing his capacity to instigate the press.

Depending on what responsibilities Pochettino offers Gallagher, the midfielder still has the potential to develop into a top box-to-box midfielder.

The departure of Mason Mount to Manchester United is a topic that has rocked the Chelsea fanbase and has left many to question the judgement of the new ownership.

On one side, the Englishman is a two-time Chelsea Player of the Year, who also provided the Champions League-winning assist for Kai Havertz in 2021.

However, those against Mount have questioned his quality and commitment to the club, with suggestions that he had rejected contract proposals, which left no option but his unwanted sale.

It is an endless debate, steeped in speculation and controversy, but the 24-year-old has gone and Mauricio Pochettino must pinpoint a suitable replacement to fill the void he has left in the squad.

Such is the nature of the chaotic and headline-addicted regime of Todd Boehly, an array of names have been linked, and one of the latest to add to the list is Paolo Dybala.

Is Paolo Dybala joining Chelsea?

According to Matteo De Santis, the Roma star is attracting the attention of Pochettino, who could be available for £10m, a deal which is valid until 30 July.

Back in March, the 29-year-old spoke on his release clause and the interest being shown in him: “Surely, we’ll talk about this later on. My future is here, I want to bring Roma as high as possible and I think we can do it. I don’t know what will happen in the future.”

However, the tweet details that Roma is not currently not worried, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on.

How many goals has Paolo Dybala scored?

The Argentine is a jewel of Italian football. He has played in southern Italy since 2012 and has recorded 168 goal involvements in 296 appearances in Serie A appearances.

This ridiculous record included netting 115 times for Juventus and ranks as the ninth-highest scorer in the club’s history.

The 38-cap international moved to the Giallorossi last year and has continued his dazzling reputation as the magisterial nucleus of the side, recapturing the mesmerising form that endeared him to the hearts of all Old Lady supporters.

For Jose Mourinho’s side last term, he was the top-scorer (12) and best assister (6), also registering the best average rating (7.2) within the squad, as per WhoScored.

In contrast, Mount endured his most troubled campaign at Stamford Bridge, scoring just three times and missing 11 league games through injury.

Described as a “magician” by reporter Alex Seixiero, the former Palermo star has displayed that he can be a more prominent creative spark than Man United's new man.

Indeed, this is best demonstrated by the fact that Dybala outperforms Mount for shot-creating actions per 90 (5.39 vs 3.58), shots per 90 (3.22 vs 2.02), successful take-ons per 90 (1.53 vs 0.86), and progressive carries per 90 (2.7 vs 2.41) throughout the last year of football.

The signing of a player with the experience, technical impudence, and glittering repertoire of Dybala would be a huge boost to a side in desperate need, and it would also help the recovery from the damaging departure of ‘one of their own.’

Crystal Palace’s pre-season needs to start taking shape. At the moment, the club finds itself in a slightly precarious position, particularly in attacking positions.

Wilfried Zaha looks increasingly likely to depart Selhurst Park this summer, while Michael Olise is facing up to three months out and is set to miss start the start of the season as he picked up a hamstring injury in the recent U21 UEFA European Championship.

If Eberechi Eze suffered a similar injury to Olise, then it would be the Eagles criminally lacking depth and quality in forward.

The underwhelming trio of Jordan Ayew, Odsonne Edouard, and Jean-Philippe Mateta only managed 11 Premier League goals between them, so Steve Parish will need to identify reinforcements to eradicate any chance of relegation.

In the past, the Eagles have been linked with Charles De Ketelaere, a player who was once again mooted with a switch to southeast London this month.

What’s the latest on Charles De Ketelaere to Crystal Palace?

According to Italian journalist Daniel Speranza, Palace, as well as West Ham and Everton are chasing the 22-year-old gem, who could cost around €30m (£26m).

"After West Ham and Crystal Palace, Everton have also conducted a poll for Charles De Ketelaere in the last few hours," he tweeted. "The #Milan is firm on its requests: about 30 million are needed. Reflections in progress by the English clubs."

Would Charles De Ketelaere be a good signing for Crystal Palace?

When De Ketelaere joined AC Milan in the summer of 2022, he looked on course to continue his wondrous, meteoric rise to international stardom.

The 6 foot 3 prodigy began his career in his homeland at Club Brugge in 2008, before making his senior debut for the squad in 2019.

In 90 appearances in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League and Champions League play-offs, De Ketelaere recorded 33 goal contributions. As a result, he became the first player born this century to score at least 15 times and provide at least 15 assists in the division.

During this time he forged a formidable reputation for his positional versatility and his limitless potential, with Scouted Football summing up his style of play like this: “De Ketelaere's developed from a supporting wide attacker into a forward that strains defences from most angles and situations. He runs into depth, slips off blindsides, shoots off dribbles, gets onto crosses – flexible and effective. He's going to go a long way.”

However, his move to Italy has unravelled into disaster, making 40 appearances in all competitions and registering just one assist. It is a damning reflection upon a player unable to adapt to his new surroundings and may look for a different experience.

It would be harsh to discard his talent as he still remains in the infancy of his career, and if he can replicate the form he displayed at Belgium, he could provide the attacking impetus to possibly deputise for Zaha.

The Ivorian has been the heartbeat of Selhurst Park for many years, with 111 goal involvements in 305 top-flight outings.

As well as this frightening productivity, the Eagles winger ranks within the top 20% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for successful take-ons per 90.

Similarly to De Ketelaere, Zaha has been shuffled across the frontline, with both players demonstrating high-level competence and adaptability.

Palace has never been blessed with an especially deep squad so this trait to play in various positions is vital.

De Ketelaere, who has been described as “so, so promising” by scout Jacek Kulig, is in need of revival and he could be tempted by the prospect of becoming Palace’s new talisman.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers' efforts to add another number nine to their squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What's the latest on Danilo to Rangers?

According to Dutch outlet 1908, the Light Blues have made an undisclosed bid in an attempt to sign Danilo from Eredivisie side Feyenoord this summer.

The report claims that the Scottish giants are now in talks with the centre-forward's club as they look to make him their fifth signing of the window, following the arrivals of Sam Lammers, Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling and Jack Butland.

Following this, The Scottish Sun have added that Feyenoord have rejected the offer from the Gers and that the two sides are currently far apart in their respective valuations of the attacker.

It now remains to be seen whether Michael Beale's team will be able to reach an agreement with the Dutch club during the ongoing negotiations or not.

What is Danilo's style of play?

The prolific 5 foot 9 striker has the quality to set up his teammates on a semi-regular basis, which could make him the dream heir to Alfredo Morelos at Ibrox.

Rangers parted ways with the Colombian international at the end of his contract last month and they could replace him by convincing Feyenoord to part ways with their Brazilian marksman in the coming weeks.

Morelos averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 across 32 Premiership appearances in 22/23. He scored 11 goals and provided five assists in that time, despite being named in the starting XI 15 times, while the attacker also missed 12 'big chances'.

The 27-year-old, who stands at 5 foot 10, proved himself to be capable of making a big impact in the final third without being a regular starter, which is a quality that Danilo could also bring to the Light Blues.

Feyenoord's 24-year-old ace only started 14 Eredivisie matches in 2022/23 but was able to plunder ten goals and three assists, while he only missed seven 'big chances'.

These statistics show that, like Morelos, Danilo is able to contribute with goals and assists without needing to start week-in-week-out, which could make him a valuable addition to Beale's squad as the 42-year-old coach could rotate his team without needing to worry about the player's form dropping without regular minutes.

The £5.5m-rated Brazilian, who ex-boss Erik ten Hag once hailed as his best "finisher", also showcased his ability in front of goal as a consistent starter with 17 goals and five assists in 31 Eredivisie starts on loan at FC Twente from Ajax in 20/21.

His form in that campaign suggests that Danilo also has the potential to be the club's number one goalscoring option as no Rangers striker has managed more than 16 league goals in the last three seasons.

After a magnificent loan spell in France, Folarin Balogun has been linked with a move to Crystal Palace.

Indeed, with Arsenal edging towards a deal for Chelsea’s Kai Havertz as the club looks to add attacking reinforcements a move could be forthcoming for the new USA international.

Alongside the German, the club already has Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in the ranks as they looked well-stacked ahead of Champions League football next season.

What’s the latest on Folarin Balogun to Crystal Palace?

According to Express Sport, if the Gunners are to complete the double acquisitions of Declan Rice and Havertz, then Balogun could be sold as part of the funding.

This outlet reveals that the 21-year-old is prepared to leave to pursue regular football and the Eagles are understood to be keenly tracking the forward.

It has been suggested that the American could cost in the region of €40m (£34m).

Why would Folarin Balogun be a good signing for Crystal Palace?

The New York-born frontman enjoyed a sensational campaign on loan at Reims, recording 22 goals in 39 appearances to become the Ligue 1’s joint-fourth-highest scorer.

This imperious vein of form was noted by Mikel Arteta, who back in February, said: “He’s really ambitious, really committed, and really brave. I’m really happy for him because he deserves what he’s getting.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special, that’s why we decided to give him a long-term contract.”

Balogun’s stirring breakout term has seen him likened to Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund as per FBref, with both players relatively young and brimming with limitless potential.

The Dane has been tipped for a £85m move to Manchester United and the Hale End graduate performs similarly to his peer in a range of categories.

The two-cap international scored more goals last season (21 vs 12), but was also more of a force in linking attacking sequences as he registered more progressive carries (56 vs 40), progressive passes (55 vs 37), and shot-creating actions (80 vs 56), as per FBref.

Both players possess a punishing pace, meaningful movement, and a keen eye for goal as both could be set to dominate top-flight football in the years to come.

By this evidence, the former Middlesbrough loanee is deserving of consistent first-team action instead of aimlessly waiting in the wings on the Arsenal bench.

The Premier League will be blessed if these two rising stars are appearing on a weekly basis, and Balogun can join up with Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise in the next generation of Palace’s youthful and blistering attack if Steve Parish can seal his man.

Tom Abell, who replaces Chris Rogers, will be 23 by the time the 2017 season starts, making him one of the youngest captains on the county circuit

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2016Somerset have named Tom Abell as their Championship captain for 2017. Abell, who replaces Chris Rogers after the Australian’s retirement, will be 23 by the time the season starts, making him one of the youngest captains on the county circuit. Jim Allenby, meanwhile, will continue to lead the club in T20 and 50-over cricket.The veteran Rogers enjoyed a successful one-off campaign with Somerset in his final season as a professional, seeing them narrowly miss out on a maiden Championship title on the last day. His replacement could not be more of a contrast, in terms of experience: Abell, a former Schools Cricketer of the Year, made his first-class debut in 2014 and has only played 32 matches.In 2016, his returns dipped to 538 runs at 25.61 and he will now have to balance opening the batting with an even greater workload – although he will have experienced heads, such as fellow opener and former captain Marcus Trescothick, to help him learn the ropes.Young county captains

Kim Barnett: Barnett was 22 when he first led Derbyshire in the Championship in 1983 and supervised a period of unparallelled success for the county. Recently returned as director of cricket with Derbyshire once more in the mire.

Rory Hamilton-Brown: Chris Adams, Surrey’s director of cricket, presented Hamilton-Brown as a natural captain when he first skippered Surrey in 2010 at 22. He led them to promotion, but he never recovered professionally from the tragic death of his team-mate and old school friend Tom Maynard.

Alex Lees: Became Yorkshire’s youngest appointed captain since Lord Hawke when, at 23, he led them in limited-overs cricket in 2016, but replaced after one season.

“I feel hugely privileged and humbled to be made captain of Somerset County Cricket Club,” Abell said. “To have the opportunity to play for Somerset was a dream for me so to captain the club is something incredibly special.”To follow on from some of the previous captains of the club who are listed on the honours board in the pavilion is an incredible feeling and something that I don’t think will sink in for a while. After such an exciting and successful 2016 campaign, I hope we can build on what we created and bring further success next season.”Abell’s age need not be a barrier to success, with Somerset’s director of cricket, Matthew Maynard, citing the example of South Africa’s Graeme Smith, who took charge of his country at 22. In county cricket, 23-year-old Alex Lees captained Yorkshire in limited-overs cricket last year – though he has since stood down – while Rory Hamilton-Brown was 22 when he became Surrey’s youngest captain in a century in 2010.”People will no doubt point out Tom’s age but that doesn’t come in to it,” Maynard said. “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough and Tom is certainly good enough. Anyone who has spent any time in his company knows that his knowledge and understanding of the game are outstanding. He has an old head on those young shoulders and he is held in very high regard by his teammates.”He is the epitome of what this club is all about both on and off the field. His temperament and attitude are beyond reproach and there is no doubt in my mind that he will be an excellent captain for this club not just in 2017 but in the years to come.”Allenby has been an occasionally divisive figure since his arrival from Glamorgan in 2014 but last year he led Somerset to the semi-final of the Royal London Cup. They did, however, also finish bottom of the NatWest T20 Blast South Group.”To be captain of this club is a real honour and I am delighted to be doing the job,” he said. “I think that we’ve built something pretty special in the 50-over competition. We were so close to a Lord’s final and I see no reason why we can’t go one better next year. There is a really talented group of players here and I am excited to see just what we can achieve together.”

The Cobras players will apply for the right to strike after failing to resolve the concerns over coach Paul Adams with the Western Cape Cricket (WCC) board

Firdose Moonda03-Nov-2016The Cobras players will apply for the right to strike after failing to resolve concerns over coach Paul Adams with the Western Cape Cricket (WCC) board. The long-standing issues continue after the board refused to implement a recommendation by the country’s dispute resolution body, the Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to appoint an independent assessor to look into Adams’ suitability for the job.While the CCMA cannot make a binding ruling, it can issue confirmation of unresolved matters which then allows for lawful and protected industrial action.”Any kind of industrial action is always a very last resort for players and we hope it doesn’t come to that,” Tony Irish, CEO of the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), said. “However the players have been asking the franchise to properly address this issue for many months, but to no avail, and have exhausted every constructive process available to them with the franchise. We will now seek Cricket South Africa’s assistance and intervention before considering what further steps to take.”At the end of the last season, the players expressed their concerns over Adams’ tactical acumen and man-management skills following a trophy-less summer – the first since he took over in 2012. Over the winter, Adams underwent a leadership course and was offered a new two-year contract, prompting the players to ask for SACA’s assistance.They players raised a formal grievance with the board, who brought in Paddy Upton, the former South Africa assistant coach, as a mediator. In a report which has not been made public, Upton recommended Adams be moved to another role at the Cobras and a new coach be sought.The WCC dismissed Upton’s ‘materially deficient’ report since he had not interviewed all the franchise players. Instead, they appointed Ashwell Prince as Adams’ assistant and Alan Dawson as convener of selectors. Dawson has since resigned, citing an inability to make an impact given the fundamental problem between the players and the coach.While the players have not made public their exact complaints about Adams, they continue to speak through SACA about their disappointment in what they see as WCC’s unwillingness to solve the situation.”SACA and the players are disappointed by the franchise’s response to our proposals on a process which we believe would have resolved the matter once and for all,” Irish said. We had proposed a process for an independent cricket person to monitor and assess the coach’s situation on the ground within the team over a three-week period and thereafter to make a recommendation as to what should happen with the coaching situation. His recommendation would be accepted by all, and binding on the players.”The franchise has however rejected the proposal out of hand without proposing any alternative, despite having indicated to us that they were in favour of some form of monitoring. It is very obvious that the franchise team is in disarray. The most frustrating aspect is that it appears that the board of the franchise simply refuses to acknowledge that there is actually a problem at all, despite everything that has happened, and is now happening, around it. “The unhappiness has spilled onto the field too. The Cobras have lost three of their first four first-class matches and are playing their fifth without captain Omphile Ramela, who is suspended following disciplinary action on an unrelated matter.

Mahela Jayawardene wondered on Twitter whether previous Australia captains would have left a tour early, as Steven Smith has done. Graeme Smith has echoed those sentiments publicly. Angelo Mathews was typically diplomatic, but as he prepares to play a side led by David Warner now, even he admits to being perplexed.”I think they have their own player management system, but honestly, if it was me, I wouldn’t have [left], because it’s a tough tour,” Mathews said. “You need the captain alongside the playing XI. They decided to rest him – well, I don’t think we as players have any issues with that.”Smith’s own team-mates have – not surprisingly – been more understanding of his departure, despite the ODI series still hanging in the balance. Warner said regular breaks for players were required because of cricket’s hectic modern schedules. Smith had also been leading Australia across all formats, taking over the ODI team after last year’s World Cup, and the Test and T20 sides since.”I can feel for Steve and the amount of cricket he has been playing,” Warner said. “It is going to very, very tough with the scheduling these days to play all three forms and every single game possible. Players are getting rested here and there. Everyone has to adapt, and we’ve got [to remember] that everyone is human.”While Warner attempts to fill the gap in leadership that Smith has left behind, Australia will also need to replace the man who has been ODI cricket’s most prolific run-scorer over the past year. Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh are in line to step into the XI. Warner suggested Smith’s output makes a break from cricket particularly well-deserved.”The stats he has on the board, runs-wise and the world’s best batter and player, I think he deserves a break whether or not it was during the series or before the series.”There were times there when I may have been leaning towards having a break and then you have a bit of misfortune by getting injured and that has sort of been my freshen-up.” [Warner broke a finger while fielding in June, and missed the end of the tri-series in the West Indies.]Warner is set to become Australia’s 23rd ODI captain, and said it had not been in his “wildest dreams” to lead the side. “I feel honoured and thrilled,” he said. “I’m really pumped to get out there, help the guys and lead from the front.”Though he has never led a national side, Warner has had captaincy success in the IPL, leading Sunrisers Hyderabad to this year’s title. Allrounder James Faulkner, who plays for the Gujarat Lions IPL franchise, suggested that experience would assist Warner’s captaincy at the international level.”David’s got lot of experience in all three formats – in IPL and BBL as well,” Faulkner said. “I know one thing – that he is pretty honest, and he’s going to back each and every one of us. Much as the same with Smithy – very good leaders. They let their presence be felt in the middle. I’m sure David will fill the position really well.”

Chelsea have been linked with a move to sign Neymar as the Brazilian prepares to leave Paris in the summer. The Brazilian is one of the greatest ever to play the game and many supporters would love to see him move to the Premier League.

Are Chelsea interested in signing Neymar?

According to journalist Isabela Pagliari, Chelsea could emerge as an option for Neymar as he carefully considers his next steps. He is already 31, so his next club will be hugely important.

AS, via Sport Witness, corroborates Pagliari's story with an update of their own. The Spanish newspaper reports that Chelsea are one of three clubs in England that want to sign Neymar after making an approach. Along with Chelsea, Newcastle United and Manchester United are interested in the Brazilian.

All three Premier League sides can afford to sign someone like Neymar although paying his mouth-watering €1million (£878k) per week wages will be an issue. There is no doubting his class but that is vastly more than anyone earns in the Premier League.

AS adds that it's Neymar who "opens the door for the exit" after he refused to leave the club last summer. Now the player and the club are on the same page as PSG will be fearful of allowing him to leave for free in two years with now being their biggest opportunity to generate a transfer fee.

How can Chelsea sign Neymar?

According to AS, via Sport Witness, Chelsea, along with United and Newcastle, have made an approach to signal their desire to sign him this summer. All three clubs have "already expressed their interest in signing" the Brazilian forward but if he wants to move to the Premier League, he will need to accept a pay cut.

PSG will be forced to pay a portion of his earnings if he fails to find a suitable agreement – it's also possible that the Ligue 1 outfit send him out on loan with an option to buy.

Chelsea would surely be delighted to sign Neymar, especially with Mauricio Pochettino likely to take over as the new manager.

The Argentine has spoken at length about his admiration for Neymar and the opportunity to see them work together in England is an exciting one.

While speaking on talkSPORT, Danny Murphy said that Neymar is a "special talent" and in terms of natural ability, the former Santos star is one of the greatest of all time.

His record backs it up as well, having got 293 goals and 188 assists during his career not to mention all the major honours he has won.

Royal Challengers Bangalore start as favourites against Sunrisers Hyderabad as both teams chase their maiden IPL title

The Preview by Sirish Raghavan28-May-2016Match factsSunday, May 29, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)4:38

O’Brien: The best batting side v the best bowling side

Big PictureOn Sunday night at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, two teams will seek to complete the final stretch of a journey to a summit that has thus far eluded them both. At first glance, it would appear as if the hosts, Royal Challengers Bangalore, are surer of their footing. They have built up considerable momentum, winning seven of their previous eight matches. Their two leading batsmen, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, bring fearsome form into the contest. And unlike Sunrisers Hyderabad, they have been in an IPL final before – twice, in 2009 and 2011. Playing a third final, in their own backyard, against an opposition that already finds itself in uncharted territory, must feel like an opportunity begging to be grabbed.But the flip side of having played in two finals before is that they have lost two finals before. That brings mental baggage that Royal Challengers could well do without. For years they have been fancied to win the IPL, only to stumble and fall at some point. They have delivered many memorable wins, they have lit up the tournament with bursts of individual brilliance, but, in the final analysis, they have flattered to deceive. So, in some ways, the fact that a golden opportunity now presents itself puts even more pressure on Royal Challengers to get the job done this time.Sunrisers, meanwhile, must strive to approach their first IPL final with a clarity of purpose. While they will be buoyed by the confidence of having won two knockout matches to reach this stage, it does not help that those matches were played in Delhi, in vastly different conditions. Add to it the fact that they arrived in Bangalore only on match-eve, with a delayed flight adding to their woes.Playing Royal Challengers in Bangalore, with little time to adjust to the conditions, in front of a vociferous and partisan crowd, they might well feel that the odds are stacked against them. But if they can avoid a deer-in-the-headlights mentality and make the most of their resources, they could turn in a performance to silence the Chinnaswamy din.That will, in large part, depend on their bowlers. No batting lineup – not even one that boasts an in-form David Warner – can match up to Kohli and de Villiers if they hit the dizzying heights that they have reached with regularity in this tournament. In trying to tame Royal Challengers’ batting, Bhuvneshwar Kumar will play a particularly pivotal role. He is already the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, with 23 wickets in 16 matches. If he can add a couple to that tally when bowling in the Powerplay, that might just decide the match. His ability to limit the end-overs damage with his pinpoint yorkers will also make a huge difference.Form guideRoyal Challengers Bangalore WWWWW (last five matches, most recent first)
Sunrisers Hyderabad WWLLWIn the spotlightAfter playing second fiddle to Yuzvendra Chahal for much of the tournament, Iqbal Abdulla came to the fore in Royal Challengers’ hour of need in Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Lions- as a batsman. Coming in to bat at 68 for 6 in the 10th over with a target of 159, Abdulla showed composure – and ability – under pressure to provide the perfect foil to AB de Villiers’ match-winning masterclass. Equally invaluable were Abdulla’s early strikes with the ball, removing Brendon McCullum and Aaron Finch for single-figure scores in the second over of the match. It remains to be seen how Kohli will use Abdulla in the final, but the left-arm spinner has shown that he is a man for a big occasion.If Bhuvneshwar cannot provide Sunrisers with early breakthroughs, the onus might well fall on Moises Henriques in the middle overs. Henriques has taken 12 wickets in the tournament and maintained a reasonable economy rate of 7.65. His bowling performance will be an important supporting act to Bhuvneshwar and Barinder Sran. Henriques will also hope to be the middle-overs supporting act to Warner with the bat. His batting returns so far this season – 178 runs at 16.18, with a strike rate of 116.33 – have been disappointing, but he has looked better in his last few knocks. The Australian allrounder was a mainstay of Sunrisers’ campaign last year; he has one last chance this season to make a serious impact for Sunrisers.Team newsChahal was the only bowler to have an off-day for Royal Challengers in Qualifier 1, but, given his consistent performances throughout the season, they are unlikely to discard him for the final. It is reasonable to expect that Royal Challengers will stick with their winning combination.Royal Challengers Bangalore (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Virat Kohli (capt), 3 AB de Villiers, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Shane Watson, 6 Stuart Binny, 7 Sachin Baby, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Iqbal Abdulla, 10 S Aravind, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalSunrisers are sweating – to the point of dehydration, surely – on Mustafizur Rahman’s fitness. He missed Qualifier 2 against Lions due to a hamstring injury. While his replacement, Trent Boult, made an impact with his bowling and fielding early on, Sunrisers sorely missed Mustafizur’s control at the death. If the Bangladesh bowler is still unfit, Boult is likely to keep his place.Sunrisers Hyderabad (probable) 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Moises Henriques, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Deepak Hooda, 6 Ben Cutting, 7 Naman Ojha (wk) 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Bipul Sharma, 10 Barinder Sran 11 Mustafizur Rahman/Trent BoultPitch and conditionsFor Qualifier 1, the Chinnaswamy Stadium sported a rather sticky pitch, which flew in the face of the ground’s reputation for big runs. Given how nearly that ended in disaster for the home team, such a track is unlikely to be repeated. Expect a return to the batting belters seen here in the rest of the season. The type of batting belter that enabled 200 to be crossed three times at this venue in IPL 2016, including once in a 15-over match. There is a chance of evening showers on Sunday, but, if the weather does play spoilsport, Monday will serve as the reserve day.Stats and trivia Kohli is 81 runs away from becoming the first batsman to score 1000 runs in an IPL season Out of eight innings at the Chinnaswamy this season, Kohli has crossed fifty six times, scoring three centuries and three half-centuries. He has also made a duck Warner has scored 468 runs while chasing in this IPL, which is the most by a batsman while chasing in any IPL seasonQuotes”The biggest challenge for tomorrow I guess for all the players in the side is to not look at that game of cricket as something very different.”