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IPL 2025, CSK vs RCB Preview: Royal Challengers Bengaluru aim to break their 17-year Chepauk jinx against Chennai Super Kings in a high-stakes IPL clash on Friday.
Chennai: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be looking to break a long-standing jinx when they take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a high-voltage IPL clash at Chepauk on Friday.
RCB have managed to win only once at this venue, way back in the inaugural season of 2008. Among the current squad, only Virat Kohli was part of that victory, and he will be eager to lead his team to a rare triumph at CSK’s fortress.
However, the task is far from easy. The Chennai franchise has built a team that thrives on home conditions, where spinners play a pivotal role. CSK’s bowling attack boasts of seasoned campaigners like Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, alongside Afghanistan’s emerging left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad.
The spin trio played a crucial role in CSK’s opening match against Mumbai Indians, where they bowled a combined 11 overs, picking up five wickets for just 70 runs. The conditions are expected to favor them once again, making it imperative for RCB’s batting unit to be strategic rather than overtly aggressive.
Kohli, known for his improved game against spin in recent years, will have to anchor the innings and counter CSK’s potent attack. His ability to play sweep and slog-sweep shots effectively will be key in neutralizing the spinners.
However, Kohli alone cannot win the game for RCB. He will need strong support from Phil Salt, captain Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, and Jitesh Sharma. The team management may even consider playing Jacob Bethell over Tim David to add a left-arm spin option to their lineup.
Fitness concerns linger over veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who missed the opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders due to a niggle. If fit, he is likely to replace Rasikh Salam in the playing XI.
While CSK’s bowling unit looks formidable, their batting lineup will seek more contributions from the middle order. Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, and Sam Curran struggled in the last match against Mumbai, putting added pressure on Rachin Ravindra and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
The defending champions will also monitor the fitness of Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana, who missed the previous game. If he is declared match-fit, he could replace Nathan Ellis in the playing XI.
With both teams having their strengths and weaknesses, the contest promises to be an intriguing battle under the floodlights at Chepauk.
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 Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee.
Match Timings: 7:30 PM IST, Friday.
The stage is set for a thrilling encounter as RCB aim to rewrite history while CSK look to extend their dominance at home.
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