Have you guys remember the last IPL season (2024) CSK vs RCB game, a virtual quarterfinal for both the teams. It was a game of nerves and any team who lost the game will be out of the IPL 2024. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held his nerves and with Yash Dayal’s brilliance in the last over against MS Dhoni, they made it to the IPL 2024 top four. After the game, things happened that turned CSK vs RCB into a major rivalry. We will talk about this later in this article, but today, we will do a CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 match preview that is going to happen in Chennai.
In this article, we will see the strengths of both the teams, head-to-head, key battles, players to watch out for, expected XI, pitch report, and more. So don’t go anywhere.
CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 Preview
Why CSK vs RCB is One of the Biggest Rivalry in the Indian Premier League?
Firstly, these two teams are one of the best teams in terms of their brand value, and fan following. CSK has performances to show while RCB, despite not tasted a success in the IPL has a very loyal fan base. Players like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni makes these two teams one of the biggest and last year, something happened that spiced up this rivalry. In the IPL 2024, CSK and RCB played a virtual knockout and RCB got the better of CSK in the game. After the game ended, CSK players made a line to shake hands to the opposition players. It is a usual norm but RCB take a little more time than usual to celebrate.
Check the scoreboard of that match HERE
Maybe because the context of the match is so big, but the CSK players, including MS Dhoni went to the dressing room without shaking hands to the RCB players. The event created more drama and the talks about the sportsmen spirit and all has started to picked up between the fans of the two teams. RCB fans would have said CSK can wait for a little more as the match was so big. CSK fans would have say that the time is too much. But in the end, the event allows the fans to wait even more for thee CSK vs RCB game. Now, these two team will lock horns at Chepauk in the 8th match of the IPL 2025.
RCB and CSK started well in the IPL 2025
Both the teams have started their IPL 2025 with a win. RCB won their first game against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens while CSK won their first game against the arch rivals Mumbai Indians at Chepauk. Both the teams will look to continue the winning momentum. It will be interesting to see who will come out well in the CSK vs RCB game.
CSK vs RCB Head-to-Head
As of March 27, 2025, Chennai Super Kings has an upper hand over Royal Challengers Bengaluru. CSK has won 21 games against RCB, while RCB has only managed to win 11 games against CSK.
Also, RCB has not won a single game against CSK in Chennai since 2008. RCB will look to break that long record while CSK would want to continue their dominance at home against RCB. In the last five CSK vs RCB games, CSK has 3 wins while RCB has only two.
ALSO READ: RR Squad IPL 2025 SWOT Analysis
Key Battles: CSK vs RCB
Ravichandran Ashwin vs Rajat Patidar
R Ashwin has a good record against Rajat Patidar. Patidar is someone who likes to go after the spinners. But, Ashwin has got him out two times in 25 balls and went for under less than a strike rate of 100.
Noor Ahmed vs Liam Livingstone
A battle to watch out for. Livingstone has the reputation to hit big and powerful sixes. Noor Ahmed is has a mystery and we have seen Livingstone falling against the mystery spinners. Against Noor, Livingstone got out three times in just 17 balls in T20s.
Josh Hazelwood vs Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad has only faced 14 balls against Josh Hazelwood and scored only nine runs. Hazelwood also got him out once in those 14 balls. He is likely to bowl with the new ball, and Gaikwad, as a top order batter, will try to get him off-guard during the field restriction.
Pitch Report
The pitch in Chennai assists the spinners. it is even good for the pacers who has good cutters or slower balls as the bowl holds in the surface. CSK has some quality spinners in the team that can made life difficult for the RCB batters.
Expected XIs:-
RCB: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt (wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood
CSK: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Nathan Ellis, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed.
ALSO READ: CSK Squad IPL 2025 SWOT Analysis
CSK’s Strength
CSK’s strength is their spin bowling, especially at their home. They have some quality spinners in Noor Ahmed, R Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja who can choke the batters in the middle overs.
RCB’s Strength
RCB has a strong batting lineup with some experienced batters and hard-hitters. RCB have the likes of Virat Kohli who can control the game. They also have the likes of Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, and Liam Livingstone in the mix.
So this is the CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 Preview. What do you think? Who will win the battle? CSK or RCB? RCB has a spin challenge against CSK at Chepauk. CSK, on the other hand, will have to make the most of the conditions, otherwise RCB’s batting lineup will go hard at the CSK spinners. Comment your predictions below.
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