Are you ready? Are you steady? It's time for the 2024 Indian Premier League - 74 matches beginning with this clash on Friday evening in Chennai.
Chennai Super Kings will kick off their title defence under the new leadership of Ruturaj Gaikwad when they host Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening game of the Indian Premier League 2024 at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk on Friday, March 22.
Pitch Report:
The Chepauk pitch has hosted plenty of big matches over the decades and has also seen many huge moments in the history of the IPL. The ball will turn for the spinners and will also grip for any pacers who produce variations of note. A par score is likely to be around 180 with the average score across all 16 previous seasons at the ground 164.
CSK vs RCB Probable Playing XIs
Chennai Super Kings:
Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Mukesh Choudhary, Maheesh Theekshana.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyashak, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Siraj, Karn Sharma.
Probable Best Players of the Match
Probable Best Batter:
Ruturaj Gaikwad holds the key for the Chennai Super Kings in the batting department. Coming in as an opener he can build a strong foundation for CSK as he has done in the previous seasons. The batter who has hit seven maximums in an over during a Vijay Hazare Trophy game, has always had an upper hand over uncapped less experienced Indian bowlers.
Probable Best Bowler:
Deepak Chahar has the ability to generate swing early on and provide some early breakthroughs for CSK. He is coming out a long rehab and will look to compensate for the time loss. Earlier seen as the death bowler, thanks to the acumen of MS Dhoni he has flourished in the power play as well.
CSK vs RCB Predictions
Best Batter of the Match: Faf du Plessis (RCB)
RCB captain and the former CSK player was the leading run-getter for the Bengaluru side in IPL 2023. Faf scored 730 runs in 14 innings with the help of eight fifties, including 62 runs off just 33 balls against Chennai in the league stage game in 2023. Plessis boasts an impressive record against CSK and will be looking to add another impressive knock in the 2024 opener on Friday.
Best Bowler of the Match: Deepak Chahar (CSK)
The star Chennai medium-pacer will be leading the pace attack with Shardul Thakur in the IPL 2024. He played one T20I game against Australia in December 2023, his last competitive cricket game, where he took two wickets. Chahar took 13 wickets in 10 IPL innings in the 2023 edition and is expected to be the best bowler in tomorrow's game.
Scenario 1
Chennai Super Kings win the toss and bowl
Power Play score - 45-55
First Innings Score - 165-175
Royal Challengers Bengaluru win the match