The IPL 2025 season is gathering steam, and one of the most highly anticipated clashes is set to unfold at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on March 28. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), two of the league’s most-followed franchises, are gearing up for a showdown that is about more than just early dominance in the points table—it's a battle of history, rivalry, and redemption. (Schedule | Teams | Points Table)
CSK, the five-time champions, started their campaign with a thrilling four-wicket victory over the Mumbai Indians. Chasing 156, Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten 65 off 45 balls proved to be the match-winning effort, while skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s fiery 53 off 26 set the early momentum. Their bowling unit was led by the Afghan spin sensation Noor Ahmad, whose 4/18 choked MI’s batting lineup, while Khaleel Ahmed’s 3/29 provided crucial breakthroughs.
RCB, on the other hand, stormed into the season with a dominant seven-wicket victory against Kolkata Knight Riders. Chasing 175, Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 59 off 36 balls, guiding his team to a comfortable win. Phil Salt’s quickfire 56 off 31 balls provided an explosive start, while Krunal Pandya’s tight spell of 3/29 ensured that KKR fell short of a more challenging total.
CSK vs RCB: Head-to-Head Records
Played: 33
CSK: 21
RCB:11
NR:1
At MA Chidambaram Stadium
Played: 8
CSK:7
RCB:1
Despite their strong start to the season, RCB faces a daunting challenge in Chennai, where their record against CSK is abysmal. The head-to-head numbers tell a grim tale—CSK leads 21-11 overall, but the real problem lies at Chepauk, where RCB has lost eight out of nine encounters. In fact, the only time they triumphed in Chennai was way back in 2008, the inaugural year of the IPL.
Adding to the tension, their last face-off in IPL 2024 ended in drama. After securing a crucial win over CSK to make it to the playoffs, RCB’s jubilation was so overwhelming that they walked off in celebration, forgetting to shake hands with their opponents.
CSK vs RCB Rivalry: Key Numbers
Most Runs: Virat Kohli 1165
Most Wickets: Ravindra Jadeja 18
Highest Individual Score: Shivam Dube 95*
Best Bowling Figure: Ashish Nehra 4/10
Full Squads
Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin, Devon Conway, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Sam Curran, Shaik Rashid, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Deepak Hooda, Gurjanpreet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Jamie Overton, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishnan Ghosh, Shreyas Gopal, Vansh Bedi, Andre Siddarth
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Jacob Bethell, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Devdutt Padikal, Swastik Chikara, Manoj Bhandage, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee.
