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- RCB vs CSK highlights, IPL 2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Chennai Super Kings by 2 runs to claim top spot
RCB vs CSK highlights, IPL 2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Chennai Super Kings by 2 runs to claim top spot
But they almost did the unthinkable, riding on 17-year-old Mhatre's 94 (48 balls; 9x4, 5x6), only to end up at 211 for five.
Mhatre had an astute partner in veteran Ravindra Jadeja (77 not out off 45 balls), as they together milked 114 runs for the third wicket.
The Mumbai lad began the innings by punishing seasoned pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 26 runs in the Power Play segment and he never really let that tempo down.
With the win, RCB moved to the top of the IPL table with 16 points from 11 matches.
Mhatre brought into practice all the technical nous and batting cleverness that he learned from hours of net sessions at the famed Oval maidan in Mumbai to poleaxe a RCB bowling attack sans injured pacer Josh Hazlewood.
A lot of eyebrows were raised when Mhatre was picked as injury replacement of Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of Gujarat's Urvil Patel and Kerala's Salman Nizar.
But both CSK skipper Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming had full confidence in Mhatre once they saw him at the team's selection nets ahead of this IPL, and he repaid their faith with dividends tonight.
Jadeja, a grizzly haired CSK veteran who got reprieves on 57 and 69, too, deserved a full set of compliments for staying with the young man at the other end, and guiding him through a tension-filled atmosphere.
But a rather tired-looking heave off Lungi Ngidi ended Mhatre's masterpiece as he lofted him straight to Krunal Pandya in the deep.
At that stage, CSK were 172 for two in 16.2 overs, needing 42 more runs for the victory.
Ngidi dismissed Dewald Brevis for nought to turn the tide in favour of RCB, as Yash Dayal had 15 runs to defend in the final over.
Dayal dismissed Dhoni to leave CSK to make 13 runs off three balls, which eventually became four runs in one ball.
However, the left-arm pacer's full-length delivery allowed Shivam Dube to take only a single off the last ball.
Earlier, Kohli and Bethel did the early running with well-crafted fifties before Shepherd exploded into action in the last 12 balls of the RCB innings.
Kohli and Bethel raised 97 runs in just 9.5 overs for the opening wicket.
Khaleel Ahmed tried to test Kohli with a snorter but it was pulled thunderously over fine leg for a six and in the very next ball, he flicked an over-pitched delivery for another maximum.
Bethel, on the other hand, smashed Ahmed for three successive fours in the first over, all rasping cuts and forceful drives, as RCB raced out of the traps.
Bethel brought up his maiden IPL fifty with a reverse scoop four off Jadeja. Kohli too reached his fifty soon after with a routine slap through the cover region for a four off Jadeja.
Just as the alliance was blossoming further, Bethel skied Pathirana (3/36) for Dewald Brevis to complete a fine catch.
Shortly after, Curran consumed Kohli with a slow delivery which did not allow the batter to execute a ramp over Ahmed at gully.
RCB were 121 for two in the 12th over at that stage.
However, skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal failed to force the pace as RCB settled for 37 runs between overs 12 and 18.
But Shepherd waded into Ahmed (65 runs in 3 overs), slamming him for four sixes and two fours in the 19th over which yielded 33 runs.
Shepherd and Tim David raised their fifty stand for the sixth wicket in just 14 balls and the latter contributed a princely two in that alliance as RCB made 54 runs in the last two overs.
Against CSK, RCB have a head-to-head record of 12-21 in terms of wins in the IPL, but in the last five meetings, RCB have had a slight edge over them with 3 wins. In Bengaluru, both have had equal wins with 5 apiece.
- Virat Kohli 13 (4)
- Jacob Bethell 22 (14)
Khaleel Ahmed to Virat Kohli, SIX! That's bread and butter for Kohli and Khaleel Ahmed has gone for 32 in his first 2 overs! Very full but drifting onto the pads, Kohli picks it up and flicks it just behind square on the leg side for another effortless six. 19 off the over!
300 for VIRAT KOHLI! Ahem? That was the 300th six for Virat Kohli, for RCB, which includes IPL and CLT20. It also marks his 150th six at Chinnaswamy in T20 cricket!
Khaleel Ahmed to Virat Kohli, SIX! BANG! An attempted bumper now, over middle and this one comes in at an awkward height as well, right around the badge. Virat Kohli swivels and gets on top of the bounce, pulling it deep into the stands over fine leg for a six. That was made to look too easy!
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, Slashed away! Short and wide from Khaleel, Bethell reaches for it and goes hard at the cut, mistiming it towards deep backward point for only a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, Good comeback by the bowler. The length is held back slightly, outside off, not much width, Jacob looks to punch but misses. Nearly gets an outside edge behind.
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, SIX! WHACK! Fractionally short, outside off, Bethell latches onto the width, goes back and pulls it with aplomb over mid-wicket! First six of the night.
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, Around off, on a length, Jacob Bethell watchfully pushes this towards cover-point.
After losing 3 consecutive home games this season, RCB found some courage when they won their 4th home game against RR. Interestingly, they batted first on all 4 occasions. This season, RCB have won all their matches on the road so far, 6 to be precise, but at home, they have won just 1 out of 4.
- Virat Kohli 1 (2)
- Jacob Bethell 15 (10)
Anshul Kamboj to Virat Kohli, Tidy start from Kamboj! Back of a length and around the fourth stump line, Kohli gets up on his toes and plays it down with an angled bat towards backward point. Just 3 singles off that over!
Anshul Kamboj to Jacob Bethell, High on the bat but gets away with it, does Bethell! Kamboj bangs this one in on a hard length over middle and leg and gets it to hurry the batter. Bethell leans back to pull but miscues it uppishly and well wide of the square leg fielder for a single.
Anshul Kamboj to Virat Kohli, Off the mark right away! On a good length and in the channel, Kohli gets forward nicely and just punches it ball down in front of covers before easing across to the other end.
Anshul Kamboj to Jacob Bethell, Good call for the single. On a length, around off, Jacob pushes it slightly wide of mid off, to his right and calls Kohli through for a quick single, much to the cheers of the crowd.
Anshul Kamboj to Jacob Bethell, Full and straight, this time Bethell covers the line and movement, walks down a touch and defends it back down the track.
Anshul Kamboj to Jacob Bethell, Good start from Kamboj too. On a length, around middle and off, hint of nibble away, Jacob Bethell feels for the ball, probably aiming to guide it to deep third, but misses. Lack of footwork.
Wow. What a start for RCB. That too, against Khaleel Ahmed, who has been one of the best bowlers, not only for CSK, but overall in this season. Anshul Kamboj to share the new ball with Khaleel.
- Jacob Bethell 13 (6)
- Virat Kohli 0 (0)
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, A single to end but 13 off the first over of the game! Good length around off, angling back in, Bethell looks to work it away but gets squared up and nudges it off the leading edge behind point for a single.
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! Bethell is in a punishing mood! Overpitched from Khaleel this time, slightly outside off as well. This one doesn't swing and Jacob Bethell is able to just drive on the up, past point and to the left of Matheesha Pathirana at deep third this time to make it a hattrick of boundaries.
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! A deft touch after some brute force and Bethell is up and running now. Back of a length and on a tight line around off, Jacob Bethell presses back and just guides it down past first slip and beats the deep third fielder to his right for another boundary.
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! WALLOP! Bad ball, short and wide outside off, Jacob Bethell latches onto the room and slaps it through point for the first boundary of the game. Gets himself and the team up and running.
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, This one comes in off the deck, Bethell pushes it towards point.
Khaleel Ahmed to Jacob Bethell, Wow. What a start. A beauty if you are a new-ball bowler. You eat a banana for nutrition. And here, the very first ball has swung like a banana. Excellent landing of the delivery, targetting the angle with the lateral movement from over the wicket, targetting the middle stump, but full credit to Bethell too, as he defends it watchfully towards mid off.
The umpires make their way out to the middle. The Chennai team is done with its last-minute pep talk and spreads out onto the field. And now, to the loud cheers of the Chinnaswamy crowd, Virat Kohli strides out to the middle, followed by the much-acclaimed future of English cricket - Jacob Bethell. As usual, it will be the left-arm seam of Khaleel Ahmed to start things off, against the left-handed Bethell. Here we go...
The captain of RCB, Rajat Patidar, says that they would have fielded as well, but reckons that the pitch won't change much. Adds that everyone is in a good frame of mind. Further mentions that everyone has performed well and they will try their best in the remaining games. Informs that Lungi Ngidi comes in for Josh Hazlewood.
The captain of CSK, MS Dhoni, says that they want to make the most out of the last four remaining games and want to win games because that always helps. Adds that they will try to look into next year on which individual will fit into what role. On the surface, he says it looks a bit tacky as it has been under covers for most of the time, and also says it is a venue where scoring runs a bit easier. Mentions it is a high-scoring venue and after the initial start, he feels it will be good to bat on. Shares that it is important to express and play to the strengths, make a plan and look to execute. States that they will look how the wicket behaves and will take it forward. Concludes by saying they are going unchanged.
Impact Player options for CSK - Shivam Dube, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh.
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI) - Ayush Mhatre, Shaik Rasheed, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni (C/WK), Anshul Kamboj (In for Shivam Dube), Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana.
Impact Player options for RCB - Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Liam Livingstone, Swapnil Singh.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal (In for Suyash Sharma), Rajat Patidar (C), Romario Shepherd, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lungi Ngidi (In for Josh Hazlewood), Yash Dayal.
TOSS - Chennai Super Kings win the coin flip and they will BOWL first
Light showers are predicted, though they should only cause momentary delays. Such conditions typically favour the team batting second. While Royal Challengers Bangalore successfully defended their total in their previous match, Rajasthan Royals realistically should have achieved their target of 205.
Record:
Chennai Super Kings hold a commanding advantage with 21 victories compared to Royal Challengers Bangalore's 12. However, RCB have emerged victorious in their last two meetings, including an exciting match at this ground last year.
However, rain threatens to disrupt the much-anticipated clash scheduled for 7:30 pm at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
N Puviarasu, Director of the India Meteorological Department (IMD)'s Centre in Bengaluru, confirmed that light to moderate rain is expected in the city this evening.
"Light to moderate rain and thundershowers with gusty winds (40–50 kmph) are likely to occur at many places, not only in Bengaluru but also in Bengaluru Rural, Ballari, Davanagere, Vijayanagara, Ramanagara, Chikkaballapura, Kolar, Shivamogga, Mysuru, Mandya, Kodagu, and Chamarajanagar districts on Saturday," Puviarasu told PTI.
A statement issued by the Meteorological Centre in Bengaluru on Saturday said that the north-south trough now extends from the cyclonic circulation over southeast Rajasthan and adjoining areas to Tamil Nadu, across Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Interior Karnataka, at 0.9 km above mean sea level.
This weather pattern is also expected to bring light to moderate rain to Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Udupi districts in coastal Karnataka, as well as to Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, Haveri, and Koppal districts in North Interior Karnataka over the next seven days, Puviarasu added.
Meanwhile, Gadag, Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Belagavi, and Dharwad districts are likely to experience dry weather on Saturday, while isolated heavy rain and thundershowers are expected in parts of Tumakuru, Chitradurga, Chikkamagaluru, and Hassan districts.
Incidentally, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) met earlier this season in Chennai, RCB emerged victorious with a 50-run win.
With 14 points from 10 games, RCB sit third on the table, and a win over CSK would take them to the top with 16 points. Chopra noted that while the win would all but ensure a playoff berth, it’s Qualifier 1 that Patidar’s men must aim for.
"RCB have never won in Chennai since 2008, but they did that job. At home, it's even-stevens," Chopra said on his YouTube channel. "They can very well qualify tonight, but the ‘Q’ won’t be next to their name just yet. Still, 16 points with three games to go is a solid position."
However, Chopra warned that history is not on RCB's side if they fail to finish in the top two. "Only once, in 2016, has a team outside the top two won the title. So if RCB want to lift the trophy, they must finish in the top two."
Chopra also highlighted Rajat Patidar’s under-the-radar captaincy but called for more consistency with the bat. "Patidar captains very well but hasn’t been in the limelight. He started strong but needs to get back among the runs. I’m hopeful he’ll deliver when it matters most."
No matter the sport, the concept and idea of home advantage makes a difference to a team. There is a sense and reasonable argument behind the idea: the home team understands the conditions, understands the surface, has vehement fan support and these factors can make a difference between winning and losing.
The phenomenon holds true across sports and was the factor behind Barcelona's monumental 38-game winning streak at home in the UEFA Champions League, a run that spanned seven years. It was also a central factor behind Oklahoma City Thunder topping the NBA Western Conference in 2024-25 as they stitched a 35-6 win-loss record at home - the best in the league.
But when it comes to cricket, though, the concept of home advantage gets a little foggy.
Sure, India had a run of 18 consecutive Test series won at home, a run that began in 2013 and was shattered by New Zealand last year. During that jaw-dropping feat, India won 42 matches, lost four and drew six. The Men in Blue also hold the record for the longest home streak in T20Is, going 17 series unbeaten from 2019 to now.
Some of the factors that tip the scale towards the home side in international cricket are: familiarity with the stadiums and the conditions; knowledge of the pitch and ability to dictate things; ability to stay with friends/family instead of hotels and last, but not the least, backing of a passionate crowd.
But these factors don't necessarily hold true when it comes to franchise T20 leagues such as the Indian Premier League (IPL). With local, Indian and international players making up the squads, most of these factors are nullified.
The enduring legacy of two Indian cricket icons — Virat Kohli and M.S. Dhoni — may be poised for one final chapter in Indian Premier League (IPL) folklore.
From an immediate perspective, RCB have a clear incentive: a win will take them to 16 points, nudging them ever closer to sealing a spot in the playoffs with three matches still in hand. For CSK, already ousted from the playoff race, the motivation lies in salvaging pride, avoiding the wooden spoon, and ending the season with a flourish.
But hovering above these stakes is the emotional and symbolic weight of the Kohli vs Dhoni narrative — perhaps for the last time on an IPL stage.
Kohli enters the clash in red-hot form, having struck four half-centuries in his last five outings, amassing 443 runs and climbing the Orange Cap leaderboard. His current purple patch has been the backbone of RCB’s late-season resurgence, and the franchise will once again look to him for another match-defining knock.
On the other hand, any assistance from the surface will allow them to bowl more aggressively and apply pressure to restrict the opposition. Dew is likely to play a crucial role, especially in the second innings — a trend that has significantly affected bowling teams throughout the season. The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, home to RCB, has hosted 99 IPL matches so far. Of these, teams batting first have won 42 games, while those chasing have won 53. The highest successful run chase at this venue is 186/3, achieved by the Deccan Chargers against RCB in 2010.
RCB vs CSK: Predicted playing XIs
RCB: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal
CSK: Shaik Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, MS Dhoni (C/WK), Noor Ahmad, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana
RCB vs CSK: Head-to-head
Matches played: 34
RCB won: 12
CSK won: 21
NR: 1
Tied: 0
Out of the 34 matches played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, CSK have emerged victorious 21 times, while RCB have won 12 matches. One game ended with no result, and none have resulted in a tie.
Before dwelling on that emotional subplot, it’s worth noting the stakes. A win for RCB would take their tally to 16 points, putting them in a strong position to secure a place in the Qualifiers with three matches still to go.
For CSK, already out of playoff contention, a win could provide a late spark — a chance to build some momentum and finish mid-table, steering clear of the embarrassment of ending up at the bottom of the standings.
CSK had pinned their spin hopes on Ashwin and Jadeja, but with both misfiring, it was left to a relative newcomer like Noor Ahmad to carry the load.
Despite the challenges, Hussey clarified there had been no directive to alter pitch conditions in CSK’s favour.
"The groundsmen are employed to produce good pitches. I never like it when teams try to get an advantage by producing a pitch that helps them too much or can affect a game.
"I don't think we've certainly tried to tell the groundsmen what sort of pitch we want or need," he added.
Regardless, Hussey acknowledged the pain of home defeats.
"It's something that hurts us because we love playing in front of our home fans and they turn up in great numbers and support us every time. So, it has been disappointing certainly to lose games at home," he said.
Looking ahead, Hussey hinted at significant introspection and preparation for IPL 2026.
"There'll be a lot of planning and preparation around tidying up those areas that we probably haven't quite nailed this year and making sure we're very specific in how we come out next year," he said.
The Yellow Army, ever loyal, will be hoping that next year brings a return to the dominance once synonymous with Chepauk.
Once a stronghold for Chennai Super Kings, the MA Chidambaram Stadium has offered little comfort this season. In IPL 2025, CSK managed just one win in six home games—a collapse that played a crucial role in the five-time champions missing out on a playoff spot for the second year in a row.
A key reason behind CSK’s struggle at Chepauk has been the unexpected nature of the pitch. Unlike past seasons, the surface hasn’t aided spin as much, leaving the team’s traditional strength neutralized. Batting coach Mike Hussey admitted this shift has caught them off guard.
"In the past the pitch has turned a lot more (at MAC). It's surprising, isn't it, to lose so many games at home. I think other teams are getting better at playing at Chepauk. We have based our game around spin in the past (in Chepauk)," said Hussey at a pre-match press conference on Friday.
He echoed sentiments earlier shared by head coach Stephen Fleming, who pointed out that CSK misread home conditions over the past two seasons. Still, CSK had won five games at Chepauk in 2024, finishing with seven wins in total.
Yet Hussey insisted that Chepauk alone wasn't to blame.
"But I don't think it necessarily comes down to just Chepauk. I think it's just the way we've played in general. We've made too many mistakes with bat and ball and in the field for that matter.
"So, it doesn't matter if we're playing at Chepauk or away, I still think the results probably would have gone that way," he said.
Indeed, the stats support his claim. Shivam Dube, CSK’s top run-scorer with 248 runs from 10 matches, doesn’t even feature in the league’s top 20 run-getters. In the bowling department, left-armers Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed rank among the top 10 wicket-takers, but support has been lacking—especially from senior spinners.
