Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru , Full Score Card

Short of a good length, just outside the off stump line, Tim David swings to pull aerially, but does not connect. A review take for a Wide, but the third umpire confirms that the ball is well below the head height of Tim. A dot to end the innings then. But a very productive final over for RCB. 19 off it. RCB finish on 196/7.

Wide not given and Tim David has taken the review. This looks like a review more in hope than anything else. The replays show that the ball passed David well below the head.

WIDE! Under extreme pressure, is Curran now! Across the tramline, on the off side. David leaves. Wide given.

SIX! A HAT TRICK OF SIXES AND TIM DAVID HAS TURNED UP THE HEAT! 200 is well within the reach now for RCB! Back of a length, on top of off and middle. Tim David weighs on the back foot and pulls it well behind cow corner for a cracking six.

SIX! PUNISHED! Into the orbit! Sam takes the pace off from the leather and bowls it right into the slot, around off, Tim David waits, and waits for it before smashing it downtown, right on the sightscreen.

SIX! A gift, and David accepts it gleefully! Around the wickets, a full toss from Curran, on middle, Tim David crouches a bit and whips it aerially over deep backward square leg for six. A good pick-up shot from the big Aussie.

Make it two dots in a row in this over, and fifth dot including that wicket off the previous over! A deceptive slower one from Sam, full and outside off, Tim David swings for the hills, but misses to get any wood on it.

Back of a length, around off, cut hard, but straight to the cover fielder. A dot to start with for Sam Curran.

What an excellent penultimate over by Matheesha Pathirana. Just two runs and two big wickets off it. On a length on the off stump. Bhuvneshwar Kumar miscues towards long on. They do not cross. David to take the strike in the last over.

Full on the off stump. Bhuvneshwar Kumar chips in the air but lands well short of Gaikwad at mid off.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND CAUGHT! Matheesha Pathirana with a double whammy and Krunal Pandya with a three-ball duck! Matheesha Pathirana bowls it on a hard length at the stumps. Krunal Pandya fails to read the pace off the hands of the bowler and swings through very early in the air. Mistimes it straight down the throat of Deepak Hooda at long on. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the new batter.

Turning out to be a good over from Matheesha Pathirana.

WIDE! Short but down leg. Krunal swings to pull, misses. Wide given.

Full and just outside the leg stump. Pandya swings and misses.

Full on the middle. Krunal stays leg side of it, and slices it to cover.

Krunal Pandya is in next.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! Matheesha Pathirana gets his first wicket of the evening. He spears it very full and keeps the line of attack on the stumps. Rajat Patidar stays leg side of the ball and tries to smash it over the off side, but does not quite get the bat under the ball and also loses the grip off the bottom hand while swinging through. It flies high up in the air, and dips low to the cover region. Sam Curran circles under it and calls for his catch. Takes a sharp grab around his chest level. RCB lose two set batters in quick succession as Rajat Patidar departs on a quickfire 51 (32).

Swing and a miss! Into the blockhole, across off, Tim David swings hard, losing his grip of the bottom hand and misses to connect. David has gone upstairs for a Wide review. A revised wide guideline comes up as Tim David moved across the off stump. It passes well within the new guideline and is deemed as a fair delivery.

FOUR! Nicely done! Shortish and across off, Tim David leans back and cuts it behind square to deep backward point for a boundary.

Tim David walks out to the centre.

OUT! GONE! CAUGHT! Khaleel breaks this partnership and gets his first wicket of the evening! Khaleel bangs it into the surface, short and angling on middle and leg. It comes a bit slower than expected as Jitesh Sharma shapes up to pull. He takes the aerial route, but is through his shot a tad early and loses his shape in an attempt to hit it too hard. Mistimes it towards deep mid-wicket and it dips low in front of the fielder. Ravindra Jadeja gets low and takes a fine catch in the deep.

Skidding through the surface, on a good length, on top of middle, Jitesh Sharma is hurried to play the pull shot and misses. Gets rapped on the body.

Full toss on the middle stump. This is driven through cover for just a single.

FOUR! FIFTY FOR RAJAT PATIDAR! The captain leading from the front! Short from Khaleel on top of middle, Rajat Patidar leans back and ramps it aerially, gets a boundary to the left of deep backward point. His first fifty this season and has made the most out of his dropped catches.

FOUR! Pulled away in the gap! 14 runs off Pathirana's third over! Back of a length, skidding off the surface, on off, Jitesh Sharma weighs on the back foot and pulls it between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

A low full toss, angling on the pads, Rajat Patidar flicks it to deep square leg for a single.

WIDE! Darted down leg on a fullish length. Patidar misses to flick. Wide called.

Back to pace off again, outside off, Rajat swings and misses.

SIX! He has picked the bones out of it! The skipper on the charge for RCB! Speared fuller and quicker on middle. Rajat Patidar stays in the crease, brings his wrists into play and lofts it skilfully over long on for a cracking six.

Pathirana bowls another slower one, angling on the pads, on a length. Jitesh Sharma tickles it fine to deep fine leg for a single.

Slows the pace, full and on off, Rajat Patidar waits for it and whips it across to deep square leg for a single.

SIX! Much-needed for RCB! A glorious hit into the stands! Fuller in length, drifting across off, Jitesh Sharma takes a good stride ahead and lofts it inside out over cover for a magnificent six. Times it to perfection. Noor Ahmad finishes his spell with figures of 4-0-36-3.

Landed fuller and on the leg stump, Rajat Patidar clears his front leg and drills it down to long off for a single.

Flat and quick, across off on a length, Jitesh Sharma cuts it off the back foot to deep point for a single.

Jitesh Sharma is the new man in.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! CLEANED HIM UP! Wicket number 3 for Noor Ahmad and his seventh overall in this season so far! Noor keeps it simple as he bowls it on a slightly dragged length, with the line of attack being on the leg stump line. It pitches and turns a tad bit into the batter. Liam Livingstone shapes up to play an aerial slog sweep but plays all over the wrong line and misses to connect. It sneaks past the inside edge and crashes into the stumps. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are 145/4.

SIX! All the way beyond the ropes. Dropped right into the wheelhouse, on leg stump, Liam Livingstone sits down and slogs it powerfully, and clears deep square leg for a six.

Back of a length, across off, punched off the back foot, down to long off for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK. This has been a productive little phase for CSK as they have conceded just 22 runs off the last three overs, while also picking up the wicket of Virat in this phase. However, Rajat Patidar has ridden on his luck and has looked aggressive. He and Liam Livingstone will have to remain at the crease till the end for a strong finish. As mentioned at the pitch report, it is not a very high scoring ground, and anything in the vicinity of 190 will be a challenging total on this surface. Let's see how these death overs pan out for both sides.

Going across the left-hander, slower one and on the shorter side, Liam flays at it but fails to connect.

On a hard length, on off, Liam stays deep in the crease and swats it to the left of deep mid-wicket for a couple.

Well bowled! Into the wicket and the pace is taken off, on off and middle, Liam Livingstone is too early into the pull and misses.

On a back of a length, slanting across, Patidar runs it down to deep third for a single.

Serves a quick bumper, on middle, Livingstone pulls it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Oh, what happened there? This nips back in off the deck, on a good length, on middle and leg, Liam looks to go back over the bowler's head with a straight bat. The ball sneaks between the bat and the pad. Brushes the back pad and MS Dhoni dives to his left to cut it off.

Khaleel Ahmed (2-0-15-0) is back on. He replaces Noor Ahmad.

RJ continues to keep it away from the batter, on a nagging length, Patidar swings to launch it back over the bowler's head. Gets an outside edge that goes on the bounce to short third. A productive over for RCB. 15 runs off it.

Wide! This slips beyond the tramline on off, Rajat leaves the ball alone. Wide given.

Slides it just inside the wide guideline on off, on a nagging length, Rajat swings for the hills but misses.

EDGED, FOUR! Fired in, on a nagging length, around off, Rajat Patidar throws his hands at the delivery. Gets an outside edge that beats short third to his left for a boundary.

Lands it just inside the tramline on off, on a nagging length, Patidar lets it be thinking it is a wide but the ball sneaks just inside the tramline.

FOUR! Slammed away! On a nagging length, on off, Rajat gives himself room and gets his hands through the line of the ball. Crashes it to the right of extra cover for a boundary.

SIX! Clean strike! Spreared in from around the wicket, right in the arc, on middle and leg, Patidar clears his front leg and swats it over deep square leg for a six.

Flat and short, on off, punched to deep cover for a single by Rajat.

Just short! Patidar continues to ride his luck! Googly, going across the right-hander, on off, Patidar backs away and goes for a cross-batted lofted stroke. Gets it off the outer half of the bat towards short third where Khaleel Ahmed dives in front but the ball drops short of him.

Short and on off, Liam Livingstone backs away and punches it past cover for a single.

Looped up, on off, Liam pushes it to cover.

Liam Livingstone is in at number 5.

OUT! CAUGHT! Rachin Ravindra makes no mistake! CSK get the prized scalp of Kohli just as he was starting to change gears. Floated up, on middle and on a length, Kohli gets down and goes for the slog sweep. Hits it with the turn and times it well but does not get the elevation. Hits it flat and straight down the throat of deep mid-wicket where Rachin Ravindra bends and takes it near his right shoulder. The 41-run stand has been broken now as Virat Kohli departs on 31 (30). RCB are 117/3.

DROPPED AGAIN? Noor dishes a googly, on off, Patidar looks to go inside out cover. Ends up hitting it towards deep cover where Rahul Tripathi comes charging in off the ropes and dives ahead but fails to cling on. A very tough chance. A single taken.

Change of ends for Noor Ahmad. He is 2-0-18-1 so far and replaces Matheesha Pathirana.

Drops it short, on off, Rajat cuts it away to deep cover for a single.

Slightly slower, on middle and leg, on a length, Kohli backs away and lifts it without much timing to the left of long on for one.

Speared in, on middle, Kohli chips it back over the bowler's head for a couple of runs.

DROPPED! Deepak Hooda shells a sitter! Floated up, at the stumps, Rajat looks to go downtown. Skies it up towards long off where Hooda moves to his right and settles under it. The ball hits him on the palm and pops out. The batters cross for one. How costly will this drop prove to be?

Had the throw hit, Kohli was gone! A bit of grip on this one, on a nagging length, on off, Virat pats it in front of extra cover and sets off. Ruturaj Gaikwad picks the ball up and has a shy at the bowling end but misses.

Darted in from around the wicket, on a nagging length, on off, Rajat knocks it to the right of extra cover for a single.

Ravindra Jadeja (1-0-15-0) replaces Noor Ahmad.

Takes pace off, on a nagging length, on off, Rajat dabs it down in front of point for a quick single. 16 runs off the over. A good phase for RCB. 26 runs off the last 2 overs.

FOUR! Lovely shot! Pitched up, on off, Rajat shows the full face of the bat and times the drive back past the bowler. Deepak Hooda from long on gets around to his left and dives but in vain.

Fuller in length, on off, at 149.5 kph, Kohli loses his shape as he swings. Scuffs the shot towards long on for a single.

FOUR! Up and over! On a good length, on off, Kohli clears his front leg and whips it over the leaping mid-wicket fielder for a boundary.

SIX! Excellent riposte from Virat! Pathirana serves another quick bumper around the left shoulder of the batter, Virat is waiting on the back foot. Swivels to hook it to the left of deep fine leg for a flat six.

Kohli gets smashed on the helmet as he is rushed into the shot by the pace of Pathirana. The physio from the RCB camp sprints out to the middle to check Virat. He looks fine to continue.

Nasty blow! Dug in short by Matheesha at 142 clicks, Virat Kohli swivels for the pull but gets rushed as the ball skids off the deck to hit him flush on the helmet. Pathirana is quick to check on Virat.

SIX! As clean as a whistle! Spoils the over for Noor, who went for just four singles before this! A genuine loosener, on middle, and fuller in length, Rajat Patidar clears his front leg and smashes it aerially and behind deep mid-wicket for a cracking six. Halfway through in the first innings, RCB are 93/2.

Drags the length back, just outside off, Rajat Patidar hangs back and punches it hard, but straight to cover.

Floated fuller and on middle, Virat Kohli sweeps it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Fuller and on the stumps, pushed into the off side by Rajat for a single.

Length ball, around off, Virat Kohli gets on the back foot and cuts it to deep cover for a single.

IN THE AIR...Lands safe! Pitched fuller and across off, Rajat Patidar leans ahead and tries to smash it downtown, but the ball is sliced off the bat, in the air, towards deep cover. Lands safe on the bounce and they cross for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! CSK will be relieved to have seen the back of Devdutt Padikkal, who was taking the attack to them. First, Phil Salt and then Padikkal provided RCB with a solid foundation, but it is now about maintaining that tempo and not allowing the CSK spin trio to dictate the terms. Virat Kohli has struggled for timing and will need to shift gears soon. Striking big from ball one isn’t easy on this wicket, and hence, Rajat Patidar will need some time to settle in. This is a phase where the CSK spinners thrive, and a fascinating passage of play awaits us. Noor Ahmad returns to the attack. 1-0-8-1 so far for Noor.

Dug in short and on top of off, Rajat Patidar waits for it and hops on the back foot to run it down to deep third for a single.

A pinpoint yorker on middle, Virat Kohli does well to jam his bat down in time and places the ball along the ground to square leg. Rushes for a quick single.

WIDE! He will have to reload that one! Miles down the leg stump line, Virat leaves. Wide given.

Fuller and angling on the pads, Rajat Patidar clips it to deep backward square leg for another single.

Good length, on the pads, tucked across to deep backward square leg for a single.

This one climbs off the surface from a short length, on middle, Virat Kohli shapes to pull, but misses. Virat Kohli is not happy as he believes that the ball passed above his head.

Matheesha Pathirana starts from a back of a length, on the pads. Rajat Patidar misses to tuck across and the ball goes off the thigh pad to the mid-wicket region. A leg bye taken.

On the pads, drifting into the leg side, full in length, Rajat Patidar clips it down to long on for a single.

Rajat Patidar walks out to bat.

OUT! GONE! CAUGHT! Ashwin gets a wicket, but a phenomenal catch by the CSK skipper. Devdutt, however, is going nowhere as he waits for the umpire's verdict. And the verdict comes out in favour of the fielding side. Flatter and fuller outside off from Ashwin. Devdutt Padikkal stays leg side to open the off side for him. Does not get his bat properly under the ball and hits it parallel to the ground, flat and straight to cover. It dips in front of Ruturaj Gaikwad at the mentioned position who dives forward and scoops the ball before the ground. Padikkal looked positive but has to walk back to the dugout scoring 27 (14). RCB are 76/2.

Has that been taken? Ruturaj Gaikwad is claiming it. The third umpire has taken a look, and the decision has been relayed to the on-field officials. The finger goes up, and Devdutt Padikkal has to walk back.

Fuller and pushed through outside off, Devdutt Padikkal shuffles across the leg stump to create room for himself. Lofts it inside out over cover for a couple of runs at deep cover as the fielder runs across to his left and mops it up.

Darted on the pads, full in length, Kohli clips it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Floated into the leg stump line, on a length, Virat backs away and punches it to the cover region.

Length, on the middle and leg, Devdutt Padikkal tucks across to deep mid-wicket for an easy single.

WIDE! From around the stumps, across and down the leg stump line. Devdutt misses to sweep. Wide given.

Drags the line a bit wide of off, on a good length, Devdutt Padikkal chops it between cover and point for a single to end the over. An expensive start for Jadeja. 15 off his first over!

SIX! Sails over! A brilliant start for Padikkal so far! Right into the slot, on middle, Devdutt Padikkal charges down the track and tonks it over long on for a six.

FOUR! Good shot! Darted on the stumps, from around the wickets, on a fuller length, Devdutt Padikkal shuffles well across and sweeps it behind square on the leg side, for a boundary.

Pushed across off, on a length, Devdutt Padikkal misses to cut it away.

FOUR! Clean and crisp! Full from Jadeja, on the stumps, Devdutt Padikkal gets low on his knee and sweeps it to deep square leg for a one-bounce boundary.

Jadeja is into the attack now. Floated flatter and fuller on off, Devdutt Padikkal gets across, misses to sweep it away and wears on the front pad.

A slower one by Curran, on a good length, around off, Devdutt Padikkal is early through his shot and hits it to the right of the bowler, for a quick single at mid off. Royal Challengers Bengaluru end their Powerplay at 56/1.

WIDE! Bangs it short on the surface, but wayward down leg. Padikkal leaves and Wide is called.

SIX! Oh, hello? In the arc, and out of the park! Speared on a fuller length, on the pads, Devdutt Padikkal picks it up quite well, and whips it across and over deep square leg for a cracking 72-meter six.

Oh, almost chopped on! Outside off, on a good length, Devdutt Padikkal looks to cut it away, but inside edges past the stumps. Dhoni collects it on the bounce behind the wickets.

Touch fuller and outside off, Devdutt Padikkal lofts it over the cover region and the ball slows down on the way to the ropes. It is mopped up by the fielder who runs from the inner ring and the batters take two.

Over the stumps and a slip in place for Padikkal. Back of a length, on top of off and middle. Devdutt Padikkal is pinned on the crease and misses to connect, getting rapped on the thigh pad.

Curran bowls from around the stumps, on a fuller length, angling in from off, Virat swipes across the line off the inner half of the bat, a bit uppishly to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Devdutt Padikkal is in at number 3.

OUT! STUMPED! Lightning-quick hands from MS Dhoni! Suryakumar Yadav in the previous game and now Phil Salt, two stumpings straight out of the top drawer. Sliding across the right-hander from over the wicket, on a nagging length, Phil shapes up to hit this one on the rise but misses. Dhoni is onto it in a flash and whips the bails off. The third umpire is called into action. The replays show that Salt's back leg was on the line when Dhoni gathered it. He tried to drag it back in, but Dhoni was quick enough to dislodge the bails, and Salt's foot was in the air when one bail came off the groove. Salt goes back for 32 (16). RCB are 45/1.

Is Salt stumped? Superb work from MS Dhoni behind the wickets as he collects the ball and whips the bails off before the blink of an eye. Salt's foot looks in the air, and the third umpire has summoned a zoomer to take a closer look. After a couple of rolls, it is deemed that Salt's foot was in the air while the stumps were broken. OUT!

Flat and short, on off, Virat pushes it wide of cover for a single.

FOUR! Virat finally gets one away! Ahmad goes for the googly but it does not come out of the hand properly, low full toss, on the pads, Kohli swipes it to the right of the diving square leg fielder for a boundary.

Tossed up, on the pads again but Noor gets away with it. Virat gets low to sweep but misses and wears it on the front pad.

Too straight again, on the pads, Phil helps this full ball in front of short fine leg and scampers to the other end quickly.

Wide! Fired down leg, Salt looks to sweep it away but misses.

Kohli continues to struggle for timing! On the shorter side, on middle, Kohli presses back for the pull. Mistimes the shot uppishly and well in front of deep square leg. They cross.

Will Khaleel bowl three on the trot? Nope. Another bowling change. Here's Noor Ahmad into the attack.

Yes, he can! Another off-pace delivery, full and at the stumps, Kohli gets low and drags it across to deep square leg for just a single. Tidy start from Sam.

Rolls his fingers on the ball and goes full, on middle and leg, Salt waits and waits before smearing it away to deep mid-wicket for one. Turning out to be a good over from Sam. Can he finish well?

And again! On a back of a length, on off, Kohli fails to connect as he looks to go across the line. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the back pad towards short third.

Kohli shows his cards early as he backs away. Sam follows him with a good-length delivery. Virat has a swipe across the line but misses and wears it on the pads.

At 117.3 kph, pace taken off, on a short of a good length, on middle, Kohli does not time the pull well but manages to hit this one to the left of deep square leg for a couple.

Just short! From around the wicket, bowled into the wicket, on middle and leg, Kohli shimmies down the track to go up and over mid-wicket. Gets cramped for room and hits it flat towards Noor Ahmad. Ahmad dives ahead but the ball drops just short.

Will Ashwin continue? He won't. Went for 16 off his first over. Sam Curran replaces him into the attack.

Good running! Angling across the right-hander, on a length, Phil walks across his stumps and swats it to the right of deep square leg. It is hit to the non-dominant right side of Rachin Ravindra in the deep and Salt comes charging back for the second run.

On middle, on a hard length, Phil hops to keep it out.

FOUR! Crashed! On a back of a length, on middle, it sits up to be hit. Salt stands tall and smashes it over mid-wicket. The ball lands just in front of the boundary cushions.

Leg bye! At the hips, Virat misses the tickle. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the pads towards short fine leg.

A well-directed bumper from Ahmed, going across, Kohli swivels for the pull but the ball climbs onto him and sails over his bat. MS Dhoni collects it with a leap.

A massive shout for LBW but the umpire remains unmoved! Khaleel Ahmed does not even bother appealing and is off on a celebratory run. Turns around to see the finger not being raised. MS Dhoni and Khaleel have a chat and the former asks Ruturaj Gaikwad to send it upstairs. On a length, at the stumps from over the wicket, tailing a bit into the batter. Kohli plays all around it as he looks to swipe it across. Gets rapped on the front pad but the Ball Tracking shows that the ball has pitched outside leg. CSK lose an early review.

FOUR! Easy pickings! An expensive start from Ashwin. 16 runs off the over. Fuller in length but sprayed on the pads, Salt gets down and sweeps it to the left of short fine leg for a boundary.

Dropped short again, on middle, it comes on slower than Kohli expected it to. Virat is a bit early into the pull shot and plays it towards deep mid-wicket. Gets off the mark with a single.

Ashwin goes wide of the crease and serves the carrom ball, on a nagging length, a bit of grip on this one, Virat stays back to defend.

Floated up, on the pads, Phil clips this full ball past mid-wicket and crosses over.

FOUR! Gets it through! Another carrom ball and the length is still a bit too short, on middle, Salt stands tall and slaps it between cover and mid off for a boundary.

SIX! BANG! A loosener and Salt climbs all over it! A half-tracker by Ashwin, on middle and leg, the carrom ball gone wrong. Salt uses the depth of the crease and pulls it over deep backward square leg for a six.

Spin introduced in the very second over. Ravichandran Ashwin to share the attack from the far end.

Tucks the batter up for room, on a good length, Phil swivels and pulls it to the right of square leg without much timing for a single.

FOUR! Flayed away! Width on offer, on a length, Salt throws his hands at the ball. Slices it off the outer half of the bat to the right of deep third this time for four more.

FOUR! Phil Salt and RCB are underway in a streaky fashion! Fuller in length, on middle, Salt goes for a hoick across the line. Gets a leading edge that beats deep third to his left for a boundary.

Bends his back and digs it in short, Phil Salt initially thinks about taking the short ball on, but in the end, bails out of the pull shot. Drops his wrist and lets the ball go.

A lot straighter, at the stumps, on a nagging length, Salt walks a couple of steps down the track and has a swipe across the line. The ball sneaks past the inside edge and catches Salt on the thigh pad.

Beats the bat straight away! Khaleel pushes it across the right-hander from over the wicket, on a back of a length, Salt pushes at the delivery away from his body and gets beaten on the outside edge.

Vanakkam and Namaskara to all. We are set for this southern derby to get underway! The noise is deafening at the MA Chidambaram Stadium and it is full house, with a sea of yellow jam-packed all over, with a decent number of red jerseys also present. Out walk the umpires and the players. Ruturaj Gaikwad leads the Chennai Super Kings as they walk out and spread to the field. The opening pair of Virat Kohli and Phil Salt are all set to open for RCB. Khaleel Ahmed to open the bowling for CSK. Here we go...

Impact players nominated by Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell and Swapnil Singh.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (In for Rasikh Salam), Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.

Impact players nominated by Chennai Super Kings - Shivam Dube, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Vijay Shankar, Jamie Overton and Shaik Rasheed.

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI) - Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Deepak Hooda, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana (In for Nathan Ellis), Khaleel Ahmed.

The skipper of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajat Patidar, mentions that he would have opted to bowl first as well. He states that the surface looks quite hard and does not feel the toss will have much of an impact. He hopes the team can put up a good total. He tells that the way the team fought back with the ball in the last game was amazing to witness. He also praises the intent shown by the openers. Patidar reckons this is the best rivalry in the league. Informs that Bhuvneshwar Kumar comes into the side in place of Rasikh Salam.

The captain of Chennai Super Kings, Ruturaj Gaikwad, says it looks like a good surface and observes it is slightly better than the last game. On the dew factor, he says so far, there hasn’t been much dew, but that is not under their control. Says they have plans even if the dew comes up. Mentions that there are areas where they can be more clinical, especially in the batting department. Informs that Matheesha Pathirana comes in for Nathan Ellis.

TOSS - The flip of the coin lands in the favour of Chennai Super Kings and they have elected to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Danny Morrison and Matthew Hayden are pitchside. Danny shares that tonight’s game will be played on a pitch adjacent to the one used for the CSK vs MI clash. He tells us the dimensions – 70 meters on one side, 63 meters on the other, with a straight hit of 74 meters. Hayden mentions that the surface looks good but has patches with minimal grass cover. States that the previous evening saw plenty of dew. He adds that due to the bare patches, there will be grip for spinners and off-pace deliveries for the seamers. He reckons this will be a battle of attrition and states that it is unlikely to be a 200-run game. Instead, he believes a total in the range of 170-185 could well be a match-winning score.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, on the other hand, have ushered in the Rajat Patidar era with a win and will be eager to keep the momentum going. However, history is stacked against them as it was in 2008, during the inaugural IPL season, when they last defeated CSK in Chennai. RCB's batting thrives on pace, with batters who enjoy the ball coming onto the bat, but tonight they will face a stern test against CSK’s spin-heavy attack. Their own spin attack lacks experience, with Krunal Pandya leading the charge on that front. Will Chennai extend their stronghold at Chepauk, or can Bengaluru finally break their long-standing drought in the city? Stick around for the toss and team news.

The Chennai Super Kings have kicked off their campaign with a win, but they weren’t at their fluent best with the bat. Shot selection let them down in the chase against the Mumbai Indians, and while it didn’t cost them the game, they will want to sharpen up. However, where CSK truly hold the edge is in their bowling, particularly their spin attack. The return of Ravichandran Ashwin and the inclusion of Noor Ahmad alongside Ravindra Jadeja have made for a formidable trio. With 12 overs of high-quality spin at their disposal, the Super Kings are a tough team to beat at home.

Hello, one and all! A Friday-night blockbuster is upon us as two heavyweights go head-to-head in Chennai. Two storied franchises, one boasting five IPL titles and the other still in pursuit of their first, have delivered some unforgettable contests over the years. Their previous meeting in 2024 in Bengaluru was no exception. It was packed with drama as Royal Challengers Bengaluru edged past Chennai Super Kings in a thriller to seal a playoff berth while knocking their rivals out.  

... MATCH DAY ...

As the IPL 2025 unfolds like a thrilling chapter in cricket's epic saga, fans are primed for a southern derby that promises to be more than just a match, but a clash of legacies, dreams, and raw passion. The Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to turn the field into a theater of intense rivalry at the MA Chidambaram Stadium of Chepauk. Two contrasting yet equally magnetic personalities take center stage in this compelling narrative. Virat Kohli, the chase master whose batting is poetry in motion, stands as a beacon of modern-day batting brilliance, is already coming off a half-century in the season opener. Facing him, the 43-year young, MS Dhoni, the strategic mastermind, Chennai's adopted son, a computer that constantly works behind the wickets with a cool-headed approach. This contest is a strategic one where young captains are writing their own destiny. Ruturaj Gaikwad, in only his second season leading CSK, brings youthful energy and ambition, while Rajat Patidar of RCB steps into leadership with the hunger of a debutant eager to prove his mettle. Both teams have kicked off their IPL 2025 campaign with wins, each bringing a different flavor to their victories. Chennai Super Kings squeezed out a nervy win that had fans on the edge of their seats, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru delivered a performance so complete they pretty much devoured the entire match, leaving nothing behind. Pre-season chatter was awash with skepticism about RCB's bowling lineup, especially their spin department, but their opening match performance kind of silenced those doubts. While it's premature to declare a transformation, their synchronized bowling effort has certainly set an encouraging tone for the tournament ahead. On a pitch like Chepauk, RCB's bowling arsenal hinges on spinners like Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma. Looking at the conditions, they might also rope in Swapnil Singh, who will give them another proper spin bowling option. Josh Hazlewood has looked sharp and economical, but their death bowling remains a puzzle waiting to be solved. Batting-wise, their firepower is undeniable. The opening combo of Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, both fresh off fifties, will be key. Rajat Patidar's attacking approach is expected to provide a platform for power hitters Liam Livingstone and Tim David for killing the game. The ghosts of May 18th, 2024, still haunt Chennai Super Kings. That gut-wrenching league game where their playoff dreams were brutally crushed by RCB remains a raw memory. While time might have passed, the sting lingers. At home, CSK transforms into a different beast, but their previous match revealed chinks in their armor. Gaikwad himself acknowledged they weren't as clinical as they could have been. New recruits Deepak Hooda and Rahul Tripathi are expected to provide the much-needed stability, especially after Rachin Ravindra's crucial innings that potentially saved them from defeat. Their spin bowling remains their strongest weapon. The triumvirate of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Noor Ahmad - particularly impressive with Noor Ahmad's four-wicket haul - adds a formidable dimension to their home advantage. Gaikwad and Rachin are looking in prime form, which only adds to CSK's confidence heading into this high-stakes encounter. While the head-to-head statistics paint a dominant picture for Chennai Super Kings with a commanding 21-11 lead, true rivalries transcend mere numbers. Beyond the numbers lies an undercurrent of raw emotion, tactical brilliance, and a deep-seated desire to outperform each other. This southern derby is set to continue that glorious tradition of unpredictability and high-octane cricket.