Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will look forward to end 17-year-old jinx when they take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their IPL 2025 clash at Chepauk on Friday (March 27), while relying on their seasoned batting lineup.
LIVE Cricket Score | CSK vs RCB Live Score, IPL 2025
In IPL, RCB has secured only one victory against CSK at Chepauk, dating back to 2008, and now Virat Kohli is the only remaining squad member from that historic win. In this clash, Kohli will aim to lead his team in breaching CSK’s stronghold once again.
CSK’s spin dominance at Chepauk
Chennai Super Kings has built a squad espicially for success at home, with spinners playing a pivotal role. Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Noor Ahmad form a formidable spin trio that recently troubled Mumbai Indians, combining for five wickets in 11 overs while conceding just 70 runs.
The pitch at Chepauk is expected to favor spinners, making it imperative for RCB’s batting unit, led by Kohli, to adapt as per the conditions. The former RCB captian has made notable improvements in this aspect, incorporating sweep and slog-sweep shots into his arsenal.
RCB’s strategy and possible changes in lineup
RCB’s batting lineup will need to complement Kohli’s efforts, with key contributions expected from Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, and Jitesh Sharma. Given the spin-friendly conditions, Jacob Bethell could be brought in for Tim David to add a left-arm spin option.
RCB will also closely monitor the fitness of pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who missed their opening match due to a niggle. If fit, he could replace Rasikh Salam in the playing XI.
CSK’s concerns and Pathirana’s fitness
CSK, on the other hand, will be looking for their middle order to fire, with Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, and Sam Curran struggling in the previous game against MI. More support will be needed for Rachin Ravindra and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, while fans will be hoping for an MS Dhoni special if required.
The team will also assess the fitness of Matheesha Pathirana, who missed the last match. If he returns, Nathan Ellis might have to sit out.
CSK vs RCB: Squads
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rashid, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjanpreet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishnan Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Salam, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethel, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee.
Upcoming Fixtures
Chennai Super Kings (CSK): CSK will head to Guwahati on Saturday to face Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday. They will then return home for a clash against Delhi Capitals (DC) before traveling to Mullanpur to take on Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): RCB’s next match will mark their first home game of the season against Gujarat Titans (GT). They will then face Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium before hosting Delhi Capitals (DC). Three exciting and potentially high-scoring encounters await.