RCB's star batsman Virat Kohli will be back as they take on CSK in a blockbuster IPL 2024 opening clash at MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on Friday. It will be a fantastic sight when CSK captain MS Dhoni and Kohli meet each other on the sidelines of the match. Dhoni is among the greatest captains to have ever played the game and Kohli, one of the modern-day batting greats. They are the best of friends off the field even if they want to beat each other in IPL, on the field.
It would not be easy for RCB to beat CSK in their homeground. If you look closely at their squads, CSK have built their team according to their home conditions, with a spin-heavy bowling attack. RCB don't have the same quality in their spin attack.
If RCB can somehow manage a win in the opening contest and Kohli has a good game, it will do their confidence a lot of good going further into the tournament.
Kohli to open with Faf?
This seems to be the ideal scenario for RCB who have many good T20 specialists in the middle order in the form of Suyash Prabhudesai, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik. Not to forget, RCB traded in Cameron Green from Mumbai Indians and they must look to play their Rs 17.5 crore player from game one.
As far as CSK are concerned, they will need to replace Devon Conway at the top and one able replacement option is available in the form of another Kiwi Rachin Ravindra. There is no Matheesha Pathirana which means Dhoni must play Mustafizur Rahman as the death-overs specialist in this IPL.
RCB Vs CSK Probable Playing 11s:
RCB: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (Overseas), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell (overseas), Suyash Prabhudesai, Dinesh Karthik, Cameron Green (Overseas), Mahipal Lomror, Reece Tooley (Overseas), Mohammed Siraj, Karn Sharma
CSK: Rachin Ravindra (Overseas), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Daryl Mitchell (Overseas), MS Dhoni, Mitchell Santner (Overseas), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Mustafizur Rahman (Overseas).