3 player battles to watch out for in RCB vs CSK, Match 52 of IPL 2025 ft. Virat Kohli

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will host the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 52nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Saturday, May 3, at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The two teams met earlier this season, where RCB clinched a convincing 50-run victory at Chepauk.

The Royal Challengers are among the top contenders to make the playoffs. They have won seven out of 10 games and sit third with 14 points and an NRR of +0.521. With only four league games remaining, RCB will look to keep the momentum going and strengthen their position in the top four.

CSK, on the other hand, have already been eliminated from the tournament. They have won just two out of the 10 games and are stranded at the bottom of the standings with only four points. The five-time champions will look to salvage some pride with a win tonight.

The upcoming contest presents some interesting player battles, and we look at three of them.

---

#1 Virat Kohli vs Noor Ahmad

Senior RCB batter Virat Kohli has been in stellar form with the bat in IPL 2025. The right-handed batter has amassed 443 runs in 11 games and is currently the fourth-highest scorer in the tournament.

It will be interesting to see how he tackles CSK spinner Noor Ahmad, who dismissed Kohli last time the two sides met. The Afghan cricketer has also dismissed the legendary batter twice in the shortest format. Thus, a cracking contest beckons when they face off.

---

#2 Shivam Dube vs Suyash Sharma

Since joining them this season, the young RCB leg spinner has been excellent for the Royal Challengers. While the wickets column might not reflect an accurate picture, which shows he has four scalps to his name, Suyash Sharma has bowled some difficult overs for the team and has gone at a rate of below eight.

His duel with Shivam Dube in the middle order will be one to watch out for. The hard-hitting all-rounder has not been at his best, but with the ball coming into the batter, Dube will fancy his chances against Suyash. Incidentally, Dube strikes at a rate of almost 160 against the young leg spinner.

---

#3 Tim David vs Matheesha Pathirana

The Aussie all-rounder has been in scintillating form, scoring some vital runs in the lower order for the side. Tim David will again be assigned to do the heavy lifting for the team at the death, where he will go head-to-head with Matheesha Pathirana.

The Sri Lankan speedster has had a mixed campaign so far, conceding more than 10 runs per over. Pathirana is adept at nailing yorkers and slower deliveries; thus, his job will be to restrict David from launching big hits.