The Indian Premier League’s most storied rivalry resumes today, Sunday, April 5, 2026, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) host Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB enters the contest as heavy favorites with a 60.4% win probability, while a “crisis-hit” CSK is reeling from back-to-back defeats and the absence of MS Dhoni (calf strain).
With a high-scoring shootout expected on the flat Bengaluru deck, these five individual matchups will dictate who walks away with the points in Match 11.
1. Virat Kohli vs Matt Henry
This is the headline act. Virat Kohli is in blistering form, fresh off an unbeaten 69 (38) in the opener. However, CSK’s Matt Henry—picked up for ₹2 crore to provide Powerplay teeth—is the tactical “kryptonite.” Henry thrives in the corridor of uncertainty, and his history of finding early movement has often tested Kohli’s discipline in the first few overs.
The Battle Box: Kohli vs Henry
- Deliveries Faced: 132 (All formats)
- Runs Scored: 95
- Dismissals: 1
- Strike Rate: 71.9
- Key Stat: While Kohli is striking at 181.58 this season, Henry has historically kept him to a sub-80 strike rate in head-to-head encounters.
2. Sanju Samson vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Now leading the CSK batting charge, Sanju Samson faces his toughest test in Bhuvneshwar Kumar. “Bhuvi,” now spearheading the RCB attack, has a legendary record against Samson, often using the moving ball to find the edge early in the innings.
The Battle Box: Samson vs Bhuvneshwar
- Runs Scored: 92
- Balls Faced: 94
- Dismissals: 3
- Strike Rate: 97.8
- Key Stat: Samson’s strike rate drops below 100 against Bhuvi—his lowest against any active IPL pacer with over 50 balls faced.
3. Shivam Dube vs Krunal Pandya
When Shivam Dube enters, the boundaries at Chinnaswamy shrink. To counter his spin-hitting prowess, RCB captain Rajat Patidar will likely deploy Krunal Pandya. Krunal’s defensive, flat trajectory is designed specifically to deny Dube the “arc” he needs for his signature straight sixes.
The Battle Box: Dube vs Krunal
- Runs Scored: 42
- Balls Faced: 31
- Dismissals: 1
- Strike Rate: 135.4
- Key Stat: Krunal has bowled 12 dot balls to Dube in their IPL encounters, consistently keeping him under a 140 SR.
4. Rajat Patidar vs Noor Ahmad
RCB’s new captain and spin specialist Rajat Patidar meets the Afghan mystery of Noor Ahmad. While Patidar is known for dismantling spin, Noor’s quick googly has been a weapon of choice for CSK to stifle aggressive right-handers in the middle overs.
The Battle Box: Patidar vs Noor
- Innings Faced: 1
- Runs Scored: 1
- Dismissals: 0
- Strike Rate: 100.0
- Key Stat: This is a fresh rivalry; Patidar has only faced one delivery from the Afghan spinner in professional T20s.
5. Ruturaj Gaikwad vs Jacob Duffy
The CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad is the anchor CSK needs to bat through 20 overs. He faces RCB’s breakout star Jacob Duffy, who claimed 3/22 in his last outing. Duffy’s ability to extract bounce could be the undoing of Gaikwad’s technical poise.
The Battle Box: Gaikwad vs Duffy
- Runs Scored: 14
- Balls Faced: 12
- Dismissals: 0
- Strike Rate: 116.6
- Key Stat: Duffy has yet to concede a single boundary to Gaikwad in their professional meetings.
Match Details:
- Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
- Date: Sunday, April 5, 2026
- Time: 7:30 PM IST (Toss at 7:00 PM)
- Broadcast: Star Sports Network & JioHotstar App