RCB to meet CSK in high-voltage clash
MUMBAI: It would be nothing short of a clash of the titans when Virat Kohli’s on-a-roll Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) takes on MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a top-of-the-table IPL showdown here on Sunday.
RCB has won all its four matches so far and sits on top of the standings. Its opponent CSK has hit back after losing its opener, clinching three straight wins for the second spot on the points table. Boosted by a 10-wicket hammering of Rajasthan Royals (RR), Bangalore will be keen to continue its winning streak.
Kohli and the highly-rated Devdutt Padikkal toyed with the Rajasthan bowling unit the other day. So, the opening combination will look to lay a strong foundation again for RCB against a varied CSK bowling attack.
The RCB batting appears to be top heavy and reliant on Kohli, South African maestro AB de Villiers and Australian maverick Glenn Maxwell. Padikkal’s good form also augurs well for the team. However, the Bangalore batting unit will front up to Super Kings pacer Deepak Chahar, who is known for his ability to strike early.
It remains to be seen if RCB has what it takes to bounce back in case of losing early wickets. The Bangalore bowling department has done the job so far, with Mohammed Siraj and Harshal Patel being impressive. But, it will come up against a formidable CSK that bats deep and the importance of early wickets can’t be emphasised enough.
Ruturaj Gaikwad emerged from three failures with an impressive knock against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and forms a strong opening partnership with Faf du Plessis. With an in-form Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina and skipper Dhoni to follow in the batting order, CSK has the firepower to strike late as well.
While Chahar has been in the thick of things at the start, spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen have struck crucial blows. Shardul Thakur has proved expensive at times, but is a vital cog in the CSK bowling unit.