IPL 2021 | CSK vs RCB: 5 players to watch out for
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on the high-flying Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Match 19 of IPL 2021 on Sunday, April 25 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
A clash between the two giants has always attracted considerable attention from fans since the inaugural edition of the IPL. Of the 27 encounters between them, CSK emerged victorious in 17 matches while RCB have managed to win nine, and one game ended with no result.
CSK began their IPL 2021 season with a narrow defeat against Delhi Capitals, but have bounced back strongly since, winning three games in a row. They currently occupy second position in the points table with six points from four matches, with an impressive NRR of +1.142.
RCB have been flawless off the bat, however, enjoying a dream start to the 14th edition of the IPL. They currently find themselves right at the top of the points table with four wins from four games and will want to keep their unbeaten run intact with another flawless performance against the Yellow Army.
Ahead of this mouth-watering contest, we take a look at the top 5 players who could make a difference in this game.
#1 MS Dhoni
Skipper MS Dhoni's form with the bat has been a major concern for CSK. He had a poor outing last season in the UAE and will hope for a much improved performance this time around. With the ball coming on to the bat nicely at Wankhede, the Chennai skipper will fancy his chances against the RCB bowlers.
He has amassed 735 runs in IPL matches between the two sides and will look to add to his tally in the upcoming fixture.
#2 Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli looked solid in his previous game, where he scored an unbeaten 72 from 47 balls on this very same ground against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), and will look to continue where he left off.
The RCB skipper has scored 901 runs in 26 innings against CSK at an impressive strike rate of 40.95. Once he gets going, Kohli is difficult to stop and can decimate any bowling line-up in the IPL.
#3 Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has played a crucial role in CSK's success this season, be it with his bowling or his exceptional fielding. The capable all-rounder picked up two wickets and took four catches in his the previous game against Rajasthan, and also saved numerous boundaries that helped CSK earn a well-deserved victory.
Jadeja has a good track record against RCB with 12 wickets from 14 games.
#4 Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar has been in sensational form for CSK this season. He is very accurate with his line and length and can swing the ball both ways early in the innings. He's picked up eight wickets from just four IPL matches and is a serious contender for the Purple Cap this season.
#5 Harshal Patel
RCB fast bowler Harshal Patel may have given away a whopping 47 runs during their previous IPL match against Rajasthan but his three wickets helped him get to 12 scalps for the season and solidified his place at the top of the Purple Cap table. Patel has been brilliant with his yorkers at the death, not allowing opposing batsmen a chance to free up their arms.
His battle against MS Dhoni towards the end of the innings will be an interesting one to watch.