Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore are just one win away from sealing a spot in the IPL 2020 playoffs while MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings are mathematically all but out of the playoff race. In the previous encounter between the two sides, a masterclass from Virat Kohli in which he scored 90 helped Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Chennai Super Kings for the second consecutive time.
In an alternative world, a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings would evoke plenty of passion, banter, trolling, abuse and excitement among many fans on both sides of the Kaveri. The clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings, dubbed the ‘Kaveri Derby’ or the ‘Ashes of the South’, is much more than Virat Kohli vs MS Dhoni. Two of the greatest captains in the modern era are all set to go out and add another chapter in the rivalry. However, heading into the match in Dubai, the circumstances are such that there is hardly a buzz for this much-anticipated clash.
Chennai Super Kings are at the bottom of the table and their proud record of having qualified for every playoff that they have featured in the IPL is all set to be broken. Their 10-wicket shellacking at the hands of Mumbai Indians suggested that their confidence and fight is gone. Having suffered such a margin of defeat for the first time in their history, IPL 2020 is proving to be a nightmare for MS Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings. The batting and bowling have failed. MS Dhoni has been undercooked in his skills after taking a break from all forms of cricket for over a year.
There are no such problems for Royal Challengers Bangalore, who are having the stability and confidence like how MS Dhoni’s team are having in previous years. The depth in their batting and bowling has made them balanced and they are clear with a purpose, led by Virat Kohli himself. With no distractions and a solid break, the hunger for success in Virat Kohli is far more and he is aware that one win is enough to help RCB seal their spot in the playoffs.
CSK is expected to continue giving opportunities to the youngsters, treating the remaining three games as an audition for the next season."We have to make the most of the next three games and it is good preparation for the next year. Identify the batsmen, who will bowl at the death and hopefully the players will soak up the pressure," Dhoni said after the loss to Mumbai Indians. One hopes that Chennai Super Kings regain the winning touch and end what has been a dismal season for them. On the other hand, RCB will be looking to add the ultimate salt to the injury of their rivals by effectively ending any hope of a playoff spot and going on top.
Team News
Royal Challengers Bangalore are stable and balanced in all departments, unlike the previous squads. With Mohammed Siraj performing brilliantly, the side might be unchanged from the previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders. For Chennai Super Kings, MS Dhoni has hinted that those players who have not had a chance so far in the IPL might be selected for the remaining three games. This could mean that the likes of R Sai Kishore, Monu Kumar, KM Asif and Mitchell Santner might get a chance
Probable Playing XIs
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Devdutt Padikkal, Aaron Finch, Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers(w), Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Washington Sundar, Chris Morris, Isuru Udana, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal
Chennai Super Kings: Sam Curran, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, N Jagadeesan/Monu Kumar, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Josh Hazlewood/Mitchell Santner, Imran Tahir
Match details
Match: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings
Date and Time: 25th October, 3:30 PM IST
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Statistics
Chennai Super Kings have a superior head-to-head record of 15-9 against Royal Challengers Bangalore but Virat Kohli’s team have won their last two encounters, including the previous game by 37 runs.
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