BENGALURU: The Southern Derby between RCB and CSK has long been one of the popular matches in the IPL. CSK have won 21 of the 35 meetings between the sides, but things changed last season as RCB completed a double against the five-time champions on their way to a maiden title, winning by 50 runs in Chennai before registering a thrilling two-point victory at home.Changes in outcomes reflect changes in fortunes. RCB, who were rebuilt around performance and analytics, finally broke their title drought, while CSK, who were in a transitional stage, had bowed out of the league scene in each of the past two seasons.The two sides meet again at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday under completely different circumstances. RCB comes into the match on the back of a resounding win over SRH in their opener, while Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK has suffered two consecutive defeats, including a five-match defeat at home to SRH on Friday.There are also gaps in preparation. RCB have a week to recover and regroup. CSK will take the field less than 48 hours after their last match.
On the face of it, RCB seems to be the more stable unit. Their top order looks strong, Virat Kohli Complementing Phil Salt is the in-form Devdutt Padikkal. The squadron, consisting of captains Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David and Romario Shepherd, provides stability and firepower.On the bowling front, New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy impressed on debut in the absence of Josh Hazlewood, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar provided steady support. RCB could look to add left-arm seamer option in Mangesh Yadav, while spinners Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma will look to improve after a lukewarm start.CSK, once known as “Dad’s arm”, now has a younger squad backed by some experienced names like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube. However, their batting has yet to be consistent. Will Gaikwad be required to lead from the front and the likes of Ayush Mhatre – who shot a slick 78 against SRH – are expected to build on his recent form. The teenager returns to the ground where he announced his arrival with a stunning 94 last season.However, visitors are more concerned about their bowling balls. In two games, CSK has conceded 338 runs in 30.5 overs. The new-ball pairing of Khalil Ahmed and Matt Henry is expensive and the spin attack lacks penetration. The absence of MS Dhoni, the heart of the team, doesn’t help either.
