IPL 2022: A royal challenge from Bangalore awaits champs CSK

MS Dhoni (left) chats with skipper Ravindra Jadeja during CSK’s last match v SRH on Saturday. Pic/BCCI; IPL

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings have made four appearances in IPL-15 so far and lost all four skirmishes without much of a fight. It's a dismal record ahead of their high-octane fifth game against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Southern Derby at the DY Patil Stadium on Tuesday. CSK opened their title defense with comprehensive and identical six-wicket losses to Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium and league debutants Lucknow Super Kings at the Brabourne Stadium.

The four-time champions, led by India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, then lost to Punjab Kings by 54 runs, again at Brabourne. Even a change of venue across the Thane creek to the DY Patil Stadium did not change their fortunes as they slumped to a humiliating eight-wicket defeat to another Southern rival, Sunrisers Hyderabad last Saturday.

Under-performing players

An ageing squad, coupled with some under-performing players like last season's leading run-getter Ruturaj Gaikwad, has led to CSK's piquant situation. Another defeat could end any possibility of reaching the four-team play-offs.

Royal Challengers, at the other end of the spectrum, go into their third game at this venue with their tails up. RCB lost their season opener here to Punjab Kings in a high-scoring game, but then recovered to beat KKR, also at this venue, in a low-scoring contest. The Bangaloreans then posted successive victories over Rajasthan Royals (Wankhede Stadium) and Mumbai Indians (MCA Stadium in Pune), both by chasing a target.

Clinical bowling effort

The victory over five-time champions MI was achieved with the help of a clinical bowling effort wherein Sri Lanka leggie Wanindu Hasaranga and last season's top wicket-taker Harshal Patel excelled. Young opener Anuj Rawat then stole the show with an eye-grabbing 68 off 47 balls in an efficient batting chase. The Nainital-born, Delhi-based player's partnership of 80 with former India and RCB skipper Virat Kohli (48) set up RCB's third win on the trot.

RCB seem to have all bases covered. They possess a varied bowling attack and a strong batting unit with a couple of excellent finishers in Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell, who played his first game against MI. CSK have a fine win-loss record of 19-9 in 28 completed games against RCB. This includes an impressive 11-4 score over the last 15 games going back to 2013. But to beat them tonight, they will need to come out all guns blazing.