BENGALURU: The Southern derby between RCB and CSK has long been one of the marquee contests of the IPL. Of the 35 meetings between the two teams, CSK had won 21, but the narrative changed last season when RCB, en route to their maiden title, completed a double over the five-time champions, a 50-run thumping win in Chennai followed by a thrilling two-run win at home.The shift in results reflected a change in fortunes. RCB, rebuilt around performance and analytics, has finally broken their title drought while CSK, in transition, have exited the league stage in each of the last two seasons.The two teams will meet again on Sunday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium under contrasting circumstances. RCB enters the competition on the back of a thumping win over SRH in the opener, while Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK arrived with two successive defeats, including a five-wicket loss to SRH at home on Friday.There is also a gap in preparation. RCB had a week to recover and regroup. CSK will take the field less than 48 hours after their previous outing.
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On paper, RCB look the most stable unit. Their top order looks formidable, with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt complemented by the in-form Devdutt Padikkal. The middle order, which includes skipper Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David and Romario Shepherd, provides stability and firepower.
In the bowling department, New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy impressed in his debut in the absence of Josh Hazlewood, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar provided steady support. RCB could consider adding a left-arm seam option in Mangesh Yadav while spinners Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma look to improve after a lukewarm start.CSK, once known as their father’s arm, now boasts a younger line-up backed by some veteran names like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube.
However, their hitting didn’t click consistently. Will Gaikwad need to lead from the front while the likes of Aayush Mhatre – who hit a fluent 78 against SRH – are expected to build on their recent form. The teenager returns to the place where he announced his arrival last season with 94 points.But the biggest concern for visitors is the bowling. In two matches, CSK have conceded 338 runs in 30.5 overs. The new ballpark duo of Khalil Ahmed and Matt Henry were expensive while the rotational attack also lacked penetration. The absence of MS Dhoni, a pivotal figure in the team, did not help.