Chennai Super Kings are all set to face Royal Challengers Bangalore (CSK vs RCB) in the opening match of IPL 2024. The match is scheduled to be played at 8 PM IST at Cheapuk Stadium, Chennai.
Chennai Super Kings are led by Captain Ruturaj Gaikawd and Royal Challangers Bangalore is led by Faf du Plesis. Let’s have a look at their Match Preview, Prediction, and Fantasy XI.
Read More: BREAKING: MS Dhoni Hands Over CSK Captaincy To Ruturaj Gaikwad Ahead of IPL 2024
CSK vs RCB: Match Preview
Royal Challengers Bangalore
In the current Indian Premier League (IPL) season, du Plessis has transitioned from his familiar yellow attire to the red and blue colors of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Once a beloved figure at Chepauk, he will lead the RCB squad as captain for the first time in Chennai this Friday. Nevertheless, his opponent in this upcoming match might not be the individual du Plessis initially anticipated.
RCB finds themselves without a world-class spinner in their squad, relying instead on a mix of options: Mayank Dagar (left-arm fingerspin), Himanshu Sharma (mystery spin), Karn Sharma (legspin), and Swapnil Singh (left-arm fingerspin). It appears that RCB has heavily invested in bolstering their batting lineup for both home and away fixtures this season, leaving their bowling department with less star power.
Chennai Super Kings
Just last month, Faf du Plessis showcased an outstanding performance, propelling Joburg Super Kings into the SA20 playoffs. Looking ahead, in four months’ time, he will once again don the yellow jersey for Texas Super Kings, reuniting with coach Stephen Fleming. Their association traces back to 2011 when Chennai Super Kings signed du Plessis, even before his international debut for South Africa.
Ahead of the IPL 2024 season opener, Ruturaj Gaikwad, formerly du Plessis’ opening partner, was named as CSK’s captain, stepping in for MS Dhoni, just hours before the teams convened for training.
Gaikwad assumes his new role with a formidable challenge ahead, particularly as RCB faces daunting odds in Chennai. On Friday, Moeen Ali could potentially join forces with three other spinners – Maheesh Theekshana, Ravindra Jadeja, and the occasional off-spin of Rachin Ravindra – on what might prove to be another sluggish pitch for CSK.
Head-to-Head: CSK vs RCB
RCB’s last victory over CSK at Chepauk dates back to the inaugural IPL season in 2008 when Stephen Fleming was still an active player. Since then, RCB has suffered seven consecutive defeats at the venue. In their latest encounter there in 2019, RCB was dismissed for a mere 70 runs in 17.1 overs. The fact that CSK had to labor until the 18th over to secure the win was largely credited to the efforts of Yuzvendra Chahal and Moeen Ali from the RCB side.
Team news: CSK vs RCB
Dhoni, at 42, is poised for a comeback after nearly a year, having undergone knee surgery following the previous IPL season. CSK’s designated spin-hitter Shivam Dube is also fit after recovering from injury, having missed the Ranji Trophy knockouts. However, CSK will be without their death-overs specialist, the Sri Lankan slinger Matheesha Pathirana, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury for the initial stages of IPL 2024.
As for RCB, Virat Kohli is making his return to competitive cricket after a two-month hiatus. Since the previous IPL, Kohli has only participated in two T20 games against Afghanistan in January. This season serves as a crucial buildup for him towards the 2024 T20 World Cup in June. Notably, Kohli displayed an uncharacteristically aggressive approach in the early stages of those two innings against Afghanistan. It remains to be seen if he will adopt a similar batting style for RCB in the upcoming matches.
Prediction: CSK vs RCB
In the first scenario, should Chennai Super Kings win the toss and opt to bowl, it’s anticipated that the Power Play score will range between 40-45 runs. Consequently, the first innings score is projected to be in the range of 155-165 runs. Based on these predictions, it is speculated that Chennai Super Kings will emerge victorious in the match.
Conversely, in the second scenario where Royal Challengers Bangalore win the toss and elect to bowl first, a slightly higher Power Play score of 45-55 runs is expected. This would likely result in a first innings score falling within the range of 165-175 runs. As per this forecast, Royal Challengers Bangalore are predicted to clinch the victory in the match.
CSK vs RCB Fantasy Dream11 Prediction:
Captain: Virat Kohli
Vice-Captain: Daryl Mitchell
Wicketkeeper: MS Dhoni
Batters: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suyyash Prabhudessai
All-rounders: Glenn Maxwell, Daryl Mitchell, Ravindra Jadeja, Faf du Plessis
Bowlers: Maheesh Theekshana, Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar
When and Where to Watch the Match: Streaming & Broadcast Details
What: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) IPL 2024
When: 8 PM IST, Friday – March 22
Where: Cheapuk Stadium, Chennai
Where to watch CSK vs RCB Live Streaming: JioCinema app for FREE
Where to watch CSK vs RCB Live Telecast: Star Sports
