RCB have not beaten CSK at the Chepauk since the inaugural season in 2008 © AFP As start of seasons go, RCB couldn’t have asked for a more varied or challenging pair of away battles than KKR and CSK back-to-back. The defending champions in Kolkata may have even been the easier of the two tests, given the true nature of the Eden Gardens pitch and the make up of RCB’s line-up, littered with batters happier to hit pace through the line. Historically, even RCB’s best sides have faltered on Chennai’s slower, turning tracks, a struggle evident in their woeful record at the home of their big rivals: just one win in nine games. Of RCB’s top-eight in the IPL 2025 opener, only captain Rajat Patidar boasts a better strike-rate against spin than pace while Phil Salt and Jitesh Sharma come close to parity. While this makes them seem somewhat vulnerable against a high-quality attack featuring Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad, the tradeoff is understandable. The line-up is built to maximise the seven home games in Bengaluru and the several other standardized, batting-friendly surfaces across the country. RCB batters – pace vs spin in the IPL since 2023 Player SR vs Pace SR vs spin Kohli 167.61 124.77 Salt 182.16 160.68 Padikkal 125.92 103.96 Patidar 164 196.49 Livingstone 207.48 93.45 Jitesh 146.6 144.77 Tim David 173.1 100 Krunal 139.58 95.23 Switch the disciplines around and the scales would appear to tilt further in CSK’s favour and to their hopes of doubling down on their own start-of season schedule. RCB’s spin attack features a left-arm spinner, an inexperienced legspinner and a part-time offspinner. While Krunal Pandya’s defensive skills and numbers against left-handers are outstanding, he may be left to do a lot of heavy-lifting against a CSK top-seven that features four southpaws. That said, the hosts didn’t exactly shine with the bat against Mumbai, despite chasing a modest 155. And, early in the season might just be the best time for RCB to visit Chepauk, with the pitches yet to endure the full wrath of the summer sun. RCB have some vulnerabilities to poke at, while riding a rare feeling of optimism in a fixture that has seldom offered them much. When: Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Match 8, IPL 2025, March 28, 19:30 IST Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai What to expect:A little more balance between bat and ball. In the opening game here, 25 out of the 40 overs, including 14/20 in the second innings, were bowled by the spinners, who found little, but enough assistance. Teams will still want to chase with seven of the last 10 games played here, including four of the last five, won by teams batting second. Head to Head:CSK 21 – 11 RCB. CSK also led 3-2 in games in the last cycle and haven’t lost at Chepauk to RCB since the inaugural season in 2008. Team News: Chennai Super Kings Injury & Availability: Matheesha Pathirana wasn’t part of the match day squad against MI. Stephen Fleming said he was “progressing well” (from an unspecified injury) but he remains an unlikely starter for the game. Tactics & Matchups: Ravichandran Ashwin has a good record against Patidar, the best-spin hitter in RCB’s ranks. The offspinner has dismissed the RCB captain twice in 25 balls bowled at him while conceding at less than a run a ball. Probable XII:Rahul Tripathi, Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Nathan Ellis, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed Royal Challengers Bengaluru Injury & Availability: Bhuvneshwar Kumar missed the season opener with an unspecified injury. Dinesh Karthik revealed that Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled two days out from the game and that he felt good. Bhuvneshwar also had a short bowling stint on match eve. His inclusion though might be a late call given it’s still very early on in the tournament. Tactics & Matchups: Shivam Dube has an impressive record against RCB, having hit 234 runs at 158.11. Teams have invariably gone short and quick at him. RCB had mixed returns last year. While Alzarri Joseph didn’t find great success with that ploy in Chennai, RCB effectively tied Dube down in the Chinnaswamy classic. Dube managed just three runs off nine deliveries against Lockie Ferguson and Cam Green before falling to a short ball eventually in a strange 15-ball knock for 7. Probable XII: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt (wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma Did you know? – Virat Kohli attempted a sweep once every five balls he faced from spin against KKR. – Each of RCB’s last four wins vs CSK (starting 2019), have come while defending totals. – CSK had the worst average and scoring rate for openers in IPL 2024. The new pair of Rahul Tripathi and Rachin Ravindra didn’t get off to the best starts against MI. What they said: “His game against spin has always been very good. I think his development over the 12 months has been excellent. His last game against RCB, ironically, was one of his best innings. Since then, he has contributed a number of runs for New Zealand in a really classy way, I thought his effort the other night was superb in terms of controlling the tempo of the game. He has got power and he has got street smarts. So, it’s a nice combination.” – Stephen Fleming heaped praise on Rachin Ravindra. “I believe right now, he is batting as well as he has ever done. And you speak to him even today, just now as I came out… he wanted to work on one more shot. At this point of time, to work on one more shot tells you the hunger that he has in his mindset. He wants to just improve and keep raising the bar. So, he is a special player. And at this point of time, the way I see it, he is batting as confidently and as well as he has ever done in IPL.” – Dinesh Karthik on Virat Kohli
