IPL 2019 Match 1 CSK v RCB: One underrated player from each side who can make a match-winning impact

IPL 2019 will kick-off on March 23 with Royal Challengers Bangalore taking on the Chennai Super Kings in Chennai. Over the years, the CSK-RCB clash has produced many enthralling matches. The opening game is expected to be no different.

The 2019 Indian Premier League season will again see Royal Challengers Bangalore craving for their maiden success. They have reached the finals on three occasions but have found themselves on the wrong side in each one of them.

This time they have done a good job at auction and have made some smart buys. The addition of Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, and Nathan-Coulter Nile will add depth to their squad.

However, RCB’s batting lineup, as always, will revolve around Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. With de Villiers having announced his retirement from international cricket, he will be available for the whole season.

On the other hand, with three titles, Chennai Super Kings have been one of the most successful IPL sides. The core of Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja will again be vital in their campaign.

In this article, we will look at one underrated player from each team who could make a match-winning impact in the opening encounter.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore - Moeen Ali

Royal Challengers Bangalore have retained the services of England all-rounder Moeen Ali for the upcoming season. Ali is a flamboyant batsman who possesses the ability to smash the ball and is a shrewd off-spinner.

With Marcus Stoinis missing the game and the first week of the season, Ali is likely to make into the RCB playing XI. The left-hander has experience of batting at various batting slots - from top to bottom. The dashing southpaw has the highest score of 72 in T20Is and owns a strike-rate of 118.69.

With the ball, he looks to bowl a flatter trajectory to deprive batsmen of any pace to work with. He has 15 wickets to his name in T20Is, while his economy is on the slightly higher side at over 8 runs an over. He is set to partner Yuzvendra Chahal in the spin bowling department.

Chennai Super Kings - Sam Billings

Sam Billings will hope for a good season with CSK

England wicket-keeper batsman Sam Billings is one of the most underrated players in T20 cricket. He was purchased by Chennai Super Kings in 2018 auction for INR 1 crore.

Billings is one of the most explosive players in modern game possessing the ability to clear the rope at will. His dynamism and power hitting has often prompted the teams to use him as a floater in the shortest version of the game.

In 21 T20Is for England, Billings has scored 314 runs at a strike-rate of 142.08. His highest score of 87 came against West Indies in recently concluded series.

Billings is also a good player of spin bowling - his footwork is excellent plus he uses both orthodox and reverse sweeps to unsettle spinners. The 27-year-old is likely to play finishers role. Billings could make a match-winning impact against RCB and help CSK in winning the game.