One of the most anticipated matches in every IPL season is when two teams from southern India face each other, not because of their game – but for two specific reasons.
Firstly, the two stalwarts of modern-day cricket – MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli going against each other, and secondly the two largest fans base colliding to cheer for their respective teams.
With match number 8 all set to take place on March 28, Friday at the Chepauk Stadium, two mega teams Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings will aim to beat each other and double their points in the tally.
Both CSK and RCB will be coming off in high spirits and energy, having won their opening games and riding high on that first sweet victory.
The joint-most successful side in the history of the Indian Premier League, CSK has played intense exhilarating matches over the past 17 editions of the league against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
The South Indian derby is a mega event for fans in both cities and on a global scale. High-profile players from either side have also made the contest look more eye-catching since the inception of the tournament in 2008.
CSK have won the elusive trophy five times in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023, all under the leadership of former Indian legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
On the other hand, RCB finished as runners-up on three occasions in 2009, 2011, and 2016 – all under three different skippers and is yet to put a full stop to their trophy drought.
The two power-packed franchises have faced each other in 33 matches in IPL. Out of these 33 games, Bangalore have won 11 whereas Chennai have come out victorious on 21 occasions, with one match ending without a result.
The IPL records at MA Chidambaram Stadium strongly favor teams that are batting first, with 49 wins out of the 86 matches played in IPL so far. This trend highlights the advantage of setting a defendable target on board, making it a strategic decision for the team winning the toss to opt for batting first.
CSK Predicted XI:
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis
Impact Player Options: Anshul Kamboj, Vijay Shankar
RCB Predicted XI:
Rajat Patidar (c), Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Salam, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal
Impact Player options: Devdutt Padikkal, Suyash Sharma
The weather is also expected to remain conducive for the game, this pitch favors bowlers to an extent. Chennai Super Kings will lock horns with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in what promises to be a real electrifying contest.
Making it a high-octane match for all the cricket enthusiasts out there, this much-awaited contest can be live streamed from 7:30 pm onwards on Jio Hotstar and Star Sports channels.
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