BENGALURU: The southern derby between RCB and CSK has long been one of the main contests of the IPL. Of the 35 meetings between the two sides, CSK have won 21, but the narrative shifted last season when RCB, en route to their first title, completed the double over the five-time champions with an impressive 50-run win in Chennai, followed by a thrilling two-leg victory at home.The shift in results reflected the change in wealth. Rebuilt on performance and analytics, RCB have finally broken their title drought, while CSK, in transition, have emerged in the league stage in each of the last two seasons.On Sunday, the two sides meet again at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in contrasting circumstances. RCB enter the competition after an emphatic win over SRH in their opening match, while Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK are coming off two straight 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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Sameer Rizvi on batting: simple mindset, big impact for DCOn paper, RCB appear to be a more settled unit. Their top order looks formidable, with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt complemented by the in-form Devdutt Padikkal. The middle order, which includes captain 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 might consider adding a left-arm seam option in Mangesh Yadav, while spinners Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma will look to improve after a tepid start.Once known as daddy’s arm, CSK now field a younger line-up backed by some seasoned names like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube. However, their batting has yet to click consistently. Gaikwad will have to lead from the front, while the likes of Ayush Mhatre – who hit a fluent 78 against SRH – will be expected to build on recent form. The teenager returns to the place where he announced his arrival last season with an incredible 94.However, the bigger concern for the visitors is their bowling. In two matches, CSK conceded 338 runs in 30.5 overs. The new ball duo of Khaleel Ahmed and Matt Henry were expensive while the spin attack also lacked penetration. The absence of MS Dhoni, the central figure of the team, did not help.
