Stage set for superstar showdown
Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings to take on Kohli’s RCB for bragging rights
The stage is Sharjah Stadium and the chief protagonists are Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Should it get any better?
The historic venue, which has undergone some key renovations, is set to host the showdown between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League today.
While the men in Yellow will be coming into the contest on a high, riding on a brilliant fighting knock by young Ruturaj Gaikwad against Mumbai Indians in the UAE leg opener, Bangalore must be really gutted with a nightmarish performance where they were dismissed for 94 and lost by nine wickets.
More than the batting, it is the bowling department that must be a cause for worry for Bangalore in a match-up between the former Indian captain and the current one.
RCB opener Devdutt Padikkal must have learnt a very tough lesson in Abu Dhabi, where his misjudgment triggered Bangalore’s batting collapse, from which they never really recovered. Both Padikkal and Ruturaj will be crucial for their respective teams as their sound technique will enable them to counter the bowling on a newly laid pitch at the Sharjah Stadium.
Bangalore lack depth
Bangalore’s batting lacks the depth of Chennai, hence it’s vital for Bangalore in not repeating the mistake and get a good score on board to give new replacements like leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga a chance to probe the Chennai batting. All in all, fans await a cracker of a game with Chennai having the edge to go closer to the play-off spot.