[[{“value”:”
It’s been a long week since Royal Challengers Bengaluru began the defence of their IPL crown, at home against Sunrisers Hyderabad last Saturday.
Their six-wicket victory is almost a distant memory; so much has happened in the interim, with several teams having played two matches already. SRH, their opponents in the opener, will have played their third game before Rajat Patidar’s men take the field on Sunday night, against beleaguered five-time former champions Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
CSK have made a horror start with comprehensive losses away to Rajasthan Royals and at home on Friday to Punjab Kings. Their bowling has appeared bedraggled and terribly short on penetration. RCB’s power-packed batting unit will need no second invitation to express itself at a venue it is determined to make a fortress after having had mixed fortunes at the Chinnaswamy in previous years.
Hazlewood likely to return
RCB have used the seven days between games judiciously, mixing rest and recovery with smart training and a match-simulation exercise at the Just Cricket ground, some 25 kilometres from the city centre. The week will have given Josh Hazlewood a reasonable time to refamiliarise himself with his colleagues. The Australian quick, who took 22 wickets last season, is expected to line up against his former franchise, who will be fretting over the fitness of Dewald Brevis.
CSK will bank on skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (left) and Sanju Samson for a solid start
The South African missed the two losses with a side strain and is a 50-50 shot for the morrow. He was one of the bright spots during a miserable campaign in 2025 when CSK occupied the cellar for the first time.
Within the RCB camp, there is a sense of quiet belief stemming from their clinical display against SRH when they chased down 202 with 26 deliveries to spare. Vice-captain Jitesh Sharma revealed that there had been no talk about their exploits of last season. “Mo Bobat, the director [of cricket], clearly said we are not defending, we are chasing the title,” the wicketkeeper-batter said on Saturday evening. “We are hungry like we were last year. We have the confidence that we have achieved something. With that confidence, we are just going forward.”
Dhoni absence felt
The normal buzz that accompanies an RCB-CSK clash has been conspicuously absent, primarily because of the publicised absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni with a calf strain. But it isn’t merely the Dhoni-sized hole that Chennai must contend with.
3-2
RCB’s win-loss record against CSK at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, in the last five IPL matches
60
CSK’s winning percentage against RCB in the IPL. The two teams have faced each other in 35 matches, with CSK winning 21, RCB winning 13, while one match ended in no result
Three
Consecutive IPL matches won by RCB against CSK
“}]]
