Kamal Ghorui
BENGALURU: The southern derby between RCB and CSK has long been one of the IPL’s marquee contests. Of the 35 meetings between the two sides, CSK have won 21 but the narrative shifted last season when RCB, en route their maiden title, completed a double over the five-time champions, a commanding 50-run win in Chennai followed by a thrilling two-run victory at home.The shift in results has mirrored a change in fortunes. RCB, rebuilt around performance and analytics, finally broke their title drought while CSK, in a transitional phase, have exited in the league stage in each of the past two seasons.On Sunday, the two sides meet again at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium under contrasting circumstances. RCB come into the contest on the back of an emphatic win over SRH in their opener while the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK arrive with two defeats in a row, including a five-wicket loss to SRH at home on Friday.There is also a gap in preparation. RCB have had a week to recover and regroup. CSK will take the field less than 48 hours after their previous outing.
On paper, RCB appear the more settled unit. Their top order looks formidable, with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt complemented by the in-form Devdutt Padikkal. The middle order, featuring skipper Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David and Romario Shepherd, provides both stability and firepower.In the bowling department, New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy impressed on debut in the absence of Josh Hazlewood, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar offered steady support. RCB could consider adding a left-arm seam option in Mangesh Yadav while spinners Krunal Pandya andSuyash Sharma will look to improve after a lukewarm start.CSK, once known as the daddy’s arm, now features a younger line-up supported by a few seasoned names such as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube. However, their batting has yet to click consistently. would Gaikwad will need to lead from the front while the likes of Ayush Mhatre — who struck a fluent 78 against SRH — will be expected to build on recent form. The teenager returns to a venue where he announced his arrival last season with a blistering 94.The bigger concern for the visitors, though, is their bowling. In two matches, CSK have conceded 338 runs in 30.5 overs. The new-ball pair of Khaleel Ahmed and Matt Henry have been expensive while the spin attack has also lacked penetration. The absence of MS Dhoni, a central figure in the team, has not helped.
