Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are gearing up for a thrilling showdown in Match 8 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) on Friday, March 28, at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
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Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Preview
This clash has all the makings of a dream match for the hype machine. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are two of the three teams that have cultivated fiercely loyal fanbases, both in stadiums and across the internet. They represent the capital cities of neighboring states, bound by a shared river that has often been a source of dispute, a history of rulers who crossed boundaries long before modern borders took shape, and people who have seamlessly built lives in each other’s regions. Both states idolize their film stars and politicians, and now they have extended that reverence to MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli—two cricketing icons who neither hail from nor reside in these states.
While this intense rivalry might not necessarily move the ratings needle, it desperately needs RCB to catch up on the field. The numbers are lopsided—CSK lead 22-11 overall and dominate 8-1 in Chennai. RCB’s last victory at the MA Chidambaram Stadium dates back to 2008, the IPL’s inaugural season. The last time these two sides met, RCB celebrated their playoff-clinching win so jubilantly that they skipped the traditional handshake with the opposition. Expect more drama, more storylines, and another chapter in this compelling rivalry.
When it comes to CSK vs RCB, the lack of a tightly contested rivalry on the field doesn’t affect the ratings. This is a marquee clash regardless. Given the conditions in Chennai—where scoring rates haven’t quite caught up with the tournament’s trend of ever-increasing run-fests—CSK naturally start as overwhelming favorites at home.
Their squad composition makes that case even stronger. With Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Noor Ahmad forming a formidable spin trio, it’s no surprise that CSK orchestrated a controlled chase of 156, taking it into the final over.
Flip the disciplines around, and the balance seems to tilt even further in CSK’s favor, strengthening their bid to capitalize on their favorable start-of-season schedule. RCB’s spin attack consists of a left-arm spinner, an inexperienced leg-spinner, and a part-time off-spinner—hardly the kind of arsenal that traditionally thrives at Chepauk. While Krunal Pandya boasts impressive defensive skills and stellar numbers against left-handers, he could be burdened with an outsized role against a CSK top-seven featuring four southpaws.
That said, CSK weren’t particularly convincing with the bat against Mumbai, even while chasing a modest 155. Their biggest concern in IPL 2024 was the opening pair, which had the worst average and scoring rate in the tournament. Their new combination of Rahul Tripathi and Rachin Ravindra also struggled against MI, failing to provide a strong start.
The battle between Ravichandran Ashwin and Virat Kohli is a compelling duel between two titans of Indian cricket. Both refuse to concede an inch—Ashwin has dismissed Kohli just once in 147 deliveries, yet Kohli has managed only a modest strike rate of 123.12 against him. It’s a contest of patience, skill, and ego, where neither player wants to blink first.
Despite being a left-hander, Rachin Ravindra has struggled against orthodox left-arm spin, averaging just 11.63 with a strike rate of 120.75. This makes Krunal Pandya a crucial factor for RCB, as his defensive skills could be key in exploiting Ravindra’s vulnerability and disrupting CSK’s top order.
As season openers go, RCB couldn’t have faced a more contrasting or demanding pair of away fixtures than back-to-back clashes against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and CSK. In fact, the defending champions in Kolkata may have been the lesser challenge of the two, given the true bounce of the Eden Gardens pitch and RCB’s line-up, which is stacked with batters who thrive against pace. However, Chennai’s traditionally slow, turning surfaces have historically troubled even RCB’s strongest squads—a fact reflected in their dismal record at Chepauk, with just one win in nine outings.
Among RCB’s top eight batters in their IPL 2025 opener, only skipper Rajat Patidar has a superior strike rate against spin compared to pace, while Phil Salt and Jitesh Sharma come close to breaking even. This could make them vulnerable against CSK’s formidable spin attack featuring Ashwin, Jadeja, and Noor Ahmad. However, the tradeoff is a calculated one—RCB’s squad is designed to dominate on the flat, batting-friendly pitches of Bengaluru and several other high-scoring venues across the country.
Josh Hazlewood’s last IPL team before his break in 2024 was RCB, yet when you think of him in the league, it’s the yellow of CSK that comes to mind. Perhaps that’s because his transformation into a top-tier limited-overs bowler truly began during his stint with Chennai in 2020 and 2021. Now back in action, Hazlewood has started IPL 2025 in fine form for RCB, delivering a superb spell of 4-0-22-2.
How RCB navigate the potential 12 overs from Noor Ahmad, Ashwin, and Jadeja could define their chances. Mumbai Indians struggled against this trio, managing just 70 runs while losing five wickets across 11 overs. For RCB, captain Rajat Patidar will be crucial, as many of their batters are susceptible to slow bowling.
Virat Kohli, for instance, attempted a sweep once every five balls he faced against KKR’s spinners—a tactic that could be key against CSK’s trio. Each of RCB’s last four wins against CSK (since 2019) has come while defending a total.
And if there’s ever an ideal time for RCB to visit Chennai, it might just be early in the season, before the pitches fully succumb to the relentless summer heat. RCB have weaknesses to exploit and, for once, a sense of optimism in a fixture that has rarely given them much to cheer about.
Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Head-to-head
CSK hold a 21-11 advantage over RCB and led 3-2 in head-to-head clashes during the previous cycle. RCB haven’t won at Chepauk since the inaugural IPL season in 2008.
- Matches Played: 33
- Won by Chennai Super Kings: 21
- Won by Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 11
- Tied: 0
- No Result: 1
- First-ever Fixture: May 21, 2008
- Most-recent Fixture: May 18, 2024
Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
Chennai remains a venue that perfectly complements its franchise, favoring slower bowlers while maintaining a fair balance between bat and ball. In the season opener, spinners bowled 25 of the 40 overs, including 14 of 20 in the second innings, finding just enough assistance. Despite the spin-friendly conditions, chasing remains the preferred strategy, with teams batting second winning seven of the last 10 matches here, including four of the last five.
Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Team News and Predicted XI
Chennai Super Kings – Team News
CSK have a strong preference for all-rounders, but Sam Curran’s place in the XI could come under scrutiny if his form doesn’t improve significantly. His underwhelming start this season—bowling just one over and scoring 4 off 9 balls—mirrors his overall dip in performance, which has already cost him a spot in the England team. As an overseas player, Curran occupies a slot that could otherwise go to Matheesha Pathirana. However, a direct swap would push MS Dhoni up to No. 7, a move neither Dhoni nor CSK are keen on.
Pathirana was absent from the squad against MI, with head coach Stephen Fleming stating that he was “progressing well” from an undisclosed injury, though he remains doubtful for this game.
Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin holds the upper hand against Rajat Patidar, RCB’s most effective batter against spin. The offspinner has dismissed the RCB captain twice in 25 balls while keeping his economy rate below a run per ball.
Chennai Super Kings – Predicted XI
- Rachin Ravindra
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt)
- Rahul Tripathi
- Deepak Hooda
- Shivam Dube
- Sam Curran
- Ravindra Jadeja
- MS Dhoni (wk)
- R Ashwin
- Nathan Ellis
- Noor Ahmad
- Khaleel Ahmed
Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Team News
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was unavailable for the previous game due to a reported niggle, but RCB will be eager to bring him back if he is fit. He bowled two days before the match and had another brief session on the eve of the game, indicating progress. However, his selection could be a last-minute decision, given the early stage of the tournament. If the pitch favors spin, RCB might also consider including leg-spinning all-rounder Mohit Rathee or left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh.
Shivam Dube has been a major threat against RCB, amassing 234 runs at a strike rate of 158.11. Opposition teams have consistently targeted him with short-pitched bowling, with RCB experiencing mixed results last season. While Alzarri Joseph’s short-ball strategy didn’t quite pay off in Chennai, RCB managed to stifle Dube effectively at Chinnaswamy. In that encounter, he scored just three runs off nine deliveries against Lockie Ferguson and Cam Green before eventually falling to a short ball, finishing with a bizarre 15-ball knock for seven.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Predicted XI
- Virat Kohli
- Phil Salt
- Rajat Patidar (capt)
- Devdutt Padikkal/Mohit Rathee
- Liam Livingstone
- Jitesh Sharma (wk)
- Tim David
- Krunal Pandya
- Rasikh Salam/Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Swapnil Singh
- Josh Hazlewood
- Yash Dayal
- Suyash Sharma
Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Players To Watch Out For
Noor Ahmad (Chennai Super Kings)
This battle could shape the entire match. Noor Ahmad made an outstanding start for CSK, delivering figures of 4-0-18-4 against MI.
Meanwhile, RCB’s batting lineup is built around players who excel against pace.
Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru)
If Rajat Patidar takes on Noor Ahmad successfully, it could disrupt CSK’s plans and even force them to hold back Jadeja’s full quota of overs.
However, if Patidar falls early, CSK could strangle RCB with their spin attack.
Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss: Chennai Super Kings win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score:Â 45-55
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru Total: 160-170
- Match Result: Chennai Super Kings win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss:Â Royal Challengers Bengaluru win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score:Â 55-65
- Chennai Super Kings Total:Â 170-180
- Match Result: Royal Challengers Bengaluru win the match
When and Where To Watch Chennai Super Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The Indian Premier League 2025 clash between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru is set to begin at 7:30 PM IST on Friday, March 28, at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai. The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network and will also be available for live streaming on JioHotstar for FREE.
Read More: IPL 2025: Top 5 Batters with Highest Individual Scores in IPL History
FAQs
What is Chennai Super Kings’ head-to-head record against Royal Challengers Bengaluru?
CSK lead the overall head-to-head against RCB with 21 wins in 33 matches. RCB have won 11, while one game ended with no result.
Why is RCB’s record at Chepauk so poor?
RCB have won just once in nine matches at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, with their only victory coming in the inaugural IPL season in 2008. The slow, turning pitches have historically troubled their pace-heavy batting line-up.
How crucial is Rajat Patidar for RCB against CSK’s spinners?
Patidar is RCB’s best spin-hitter and could be key in countering Noor Ahmad, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin. If he takes on Noor successfully, it might even prevent Jadeja from completing his quota.
Why is Sam Curran under scrutiny in CSK’s playing XI?
Curran’s poor form—both with bat and ball—has raised concerns. He scored just 4 off 9 balls and bowled only one over in CSK’s opening match. His place keeps Matheesha Pathirana out, which complicates the team’s balance.
How do the conditions at Chepauk influence match strategy?
Chennai’s pitch favors spinners, with 25 of 40 overs bowled by them in the season opener. However, chasing teams have won seven of the last 10 matches here, making the toss crucial.
