Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings have faced each other in 31 matches in IPL. Out of these 31 games, RCB have won 10 whereas CSK have come out victorious on 20 occasions. 1 match ended without a result.
Top performers in Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore:
Virat Kohli leads the batting chart with 985 runs to his name in this particular rivalry followed by MS Dhoni (838) and Suresh Raina (702). In the bowling department, spinner Ravindra Jadeja tops the chart with 18 wickets followed by Dwayne Bravo (17) and Albie Morkel (15).
CSK vs RCB most recent meeting:
CSK and RCB last met in Match No. 24 of IPL 2023 at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore where the Super Kings defeated the Royal Challengers by a margin of 8 runs in a high-scoring thriller. Batting first, CSK posted a mammoth total of 226/6 on the board in their allotted 20 overs. Kiwi opener Devon Conway smashed 83 off 45 with six fours and as many maximums while hard-hitter Shivam Dube played a blitzkrieg of 52 off just 27. Youngster Vijaykumar Vyshak had a forgettable outing as he leaked 62 runs for one wicket in his four-over spell. In reply, skipper Faf du Plessis slammed 62 while Glenn Maxwell hammered 76 but it wasn’t enough as the home side fell just short of their target. For his match-winning half-century, Conway won the Player of the Match award.
CSK vs RCB 22-March-2024 Preview
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
Chennai, 20:00 IST (1430 GMT)
Team Update: Dhoni and Kohli Make Comeback
After a nearly year-long hiatus due to knee surgery post the previous IPL season, 42-year-old Dhoni is set to return to action, boosting Chennai Super Kings’ lineup. Additionally, spin-hitter Shivam Dube, who missed the Ranji Trophy knockouts due to injury, is now fit. However, CSK will miss the services of their death-overs specialist, Matheesha Pathirana, sidelined with a hamstring injury at the start of IPL 2024.
Meanwhile, for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Virat Kohli will make his return to competitive cricket following a two-month break. Having played only two T20 games against Afghanistan in January since the last IPL, Kohli views this season as preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup in June. Kohli exhibited an unusually aggressive batting approach in those two innings against Afghanistan, leaving fans curious about his strategy for RCB this season.
Toss and Player Strategy
Chennai Super Kings:
With Dube returning from injury, CSK might opt to play him solely as a batter and include either Mukesh Choudhary or Tushar Deshpande, the highest wicket-taker last season, in the bowling lineup.
Possible XI (batting first): Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Maheesh Theekshana
Possible XI (bowling first): Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali, Daryl Mitchell, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Maheesh Theekshana, Mukesh Choudhary/Tushar Deshpande
Royal Challengers Bangalore:
RCB may choose Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, or Suyash Prabhudessai to bolster their batting lineup if they bat first. They could then introduce a spinner, either Himanshu or Karn, in the second innings, or vice versa.
Possible XI (batting first): Faf du Plessis (capt), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Anuj Rawat/Mahipal Lomror/Suyash Prabhudessai, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Mayank Dagar, Akash Deep/Vyshak Vijaykumar, Mohammed Siraj
Possible XI (bowling first): Faf du Plessis (capt), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Mayank Dagar, Akash Deep/Vyshak Vijaykumar, Himanshu Sharma/Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj.