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Ayushi Singh

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CSK vs RCB IPL 2025

IPL 2025: RCB outclass CSK with an all-round performance to breach Chepauk

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The ardent Chennai Super Kings fans, Thala fans to specify, got to see a glimpse of vintage MS Dhoni, who impressed both with the gloves and the bat. However, that was the only highlight for the Yellove army in the CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 match that went down at Chepauk. The 18th edition of the IPL marked Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing only their second victory in Chennai. CSK let the fortress be breached as RCB won their first match at Chepauk since their victory in 2008, the inaugural IPL season. Barring a few high points in the first innings, CSK never posed a threat to their southern rivals, as RCB beat the home team by a margin of 50 runs.

Flying start, fiery finish, and ruthless bowling: CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 match concludes ideally for Bengaluru

Ruturaj Gaikwad opted to bowl first as CSK won the toss in their second home game of the season. The team came off a seamless win against their arch-rivals, Mumbai Indians, in the campaign opener. RCB came riding on the high of a victory over defending champions KKR at Eden Gardens in the season opener. However, bigger than that high was RCB's win over CSK in IPL 2024, which propelled them to the playoffs last season. That win was all it took for CSK vs RCB to be etched among the fiercest battles in IPL history. The CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 match, thus, was an instrumental chance for RCB to reiterate the start of a new era, one where they dominate CSK. Otherwise, RCB moved 21-12 in their overall IPL head-to-head record, having played 34 matches against each other.

While Virat Kohli patiently found his rhythm, his opening partner, Phil Salt, got RCB off to a flying start. Khaleel Ahmed, Ravi Ashwin, and Sam Curran all fell victim to Salt's wrath in the powerplay before Noor Ahmad stepped in early. Setting up Salt out of his crease, Ahmad made use of the lightning-fast arms of MS Dhoni. A reaction time recorded well below a fraction of a second saw Dhoni stump Salt out while the batter's foot hovered in the air, trying to find the ground. However, Salt's wicket in the powerplay led to Devdutt Padikkal's arrival, marking the IPL 2025 fixture as his redemption ground. The batter smashed Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin all over the MA Chidambaram Stadium before Ashwin trapped him at 27 off 14.

Virat Kohli was still treading patiently when the RCB skipper, Rajat Patidar, walked in. Boosted by two dropped catches, one by Deepak Hooda and the other by Rahul Tripathi when Patidar was at 17, the skipper converted his lifelines into an impactful knock. While Kohli fell at 31 off 30, Patidar didn’t let the momentum shift. With his half-century and the finishing touches by Tim David, RCB raced to a 196-run total, an easily defendable figure on the Chepauk turf.

Any semblance of a comeback by CSK was dashed as the team lost early wickets in the powerplay. Rahul Tripathi was backed in the opening position but to no avail. Ruturaj Gaikwad failed to repeat his heroics from the CSK vs MI game, falling for a three-ball duck against Josh Hazlewood. The seamer's twin strike, combined with the dismissal of Deepak Hooda by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was playing his debut game for RCB, left CSK dwindling at 26 for 3 in the powerplay. Rachin Ravindra tried to emulate his performance from the campaign opener against MI. However, with no support from the other end, the opener lost his wicket at 41 off 31 against Yash Dayal.

MS Dhoni walked in at No.9 when CSK had long lost the game. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed a flurry of boundaries in the last over. While the hits acted as a balm for the wounds of CSK fans, they were of no help to the victory cause, especially with the former captain walking in this low in the batting order, even behind Ravi Ashwin. Yes, the Net Run Rate would get some help, but CSK will need to revisit their plans, where Ruturaj Gaikwad reclaims his opening spot and MS Dhoni is promoted to a position where his impact truly counts. Meanwhile, RCB jumped to the top of the points table with two victories in their two fixtures so far.

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