I'm really not sure if we should just wait for the toss rather than analyse the qualities of these two teams. With Sunrisers' win over Mumbai on Monday, yet another IPL9 game went to the side batting second and it really is quite incredible to see this happen time and time again.

Naturally the bookies can't take this into account and can only look for the stronger team and in this case, they expect the Royal Challengers to take the points quite comfortably. On the eve of the game, the best odds on a win for Virat Kohli's RCB stand at 1.80 with Skybet but if you think that Mumbai will upset that market, the best price for the home side is 2.20 with bet365 and Ladbrokes.

Ahead of that Sunrisers defeat I had pointed to Martin Guptill and Jos Buttler as two players who would get the Indians off to a faster start this season but unfortunately both men failed in that loss. I think they will improve as the campaign goes on so maybe Guptill could be a good value pick in Mumbai's top batsman betting at best odds of 4.33 with bet365.

Rohit Sharma is the favourite here at a top price of 3.75 with bet365 while Parthiv Patel has shown touches of form and can be picked up at best odds of 5.00 with Coral and Paddy Power. Buttler, meanwhile, is at a best of 6.50 with bet365.

Looking at previous Mumbai matches, this may be a market to avoid although I expect Guptill to really make a difference in the second half of the group phase. Instead, we'll look to RCB's version where Virat Kolhi leads the way after his 79 against Delhi.

The skipper is on offer at best odds of 3.50 with Paddy Power while AB De Villiers follows at a top price of 4.00 with Paddy Power and Coral. Elsewhere, Chris Gayle has drifted after a run of low scores and it's some time since we've seen the big Jamaican out at best odds of 4.33 with bet365.

De Villiers would be my pick here but Gayle is really tempting at that 4.33 figure and it may not be a bad idea to stake on both men.

Individual scores are getting much bigger and we've now seen the first century of IPL9 thanks to Quinton De Kock so, if you want to back any player from either side going past three figures on Wednesday, the best odds stand at 6.00 with bet365.

That's a little low so you may want a far safer bet in the six hitting market where RCB are favourites to clear the boundary more often at a top price of 1.80 with Betfred and Ladbrokes while Mumbai are the tempter at a best of 3.00 with Ladbrokes.

I'm edging towards RCB but for a final pick, I just feel that it could be AB's day again and De Villiers looks good in the Man of the Match betting at best odds of 7.00 with bet365.

This time I will definitely wait until the toss before parting with any money but looking at the two sides I'm leaning towards RCB. They have scored big runs in both their games so far but admittedly their bowling looks to be a concern.

Remember too that Mumbai have lost both their home games to date and this looks to be a difficult surface at the Wankhede. It's certainly closer than the market might suggest but putting away the toss for a moment, I'd go with RCB based on form.

My Picks
  • Back Royal Challengers Bangalore to win at 1.80 with Skybet.
  • Back AB De Villiers to top score for Royal Challengers Bangalore at 4.00 with Paddy Power.
  • Back AB De Villiers to win the Man of the Match award at 7.00 with bet365.

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