IPL 2021, CSK vs RCB: 3 player battles to watch out for

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face off for the first time in IPL 2021, on Sunday (April 25), at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Both teams come into this match having registered wins in their last game and RCB will be wary of the dismal record they have against CSK. That said, the arrival of the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Kyle Jamieson has bolstered the Bangalore side. Both all-rounders have been impressive for the team and will be keen to prove their mettle against a seasoned CSK side.

We take a look at some of the player battles to watch in this encounter:

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#1 Virat Kohli vs Deepak Chahar

The RCB skipper returned to form with an unbeaten 47-ball-72 against Rajasthan Royals in their last game. Kohli's opening partner, Devdutt Padikkal, meanwhile, blasted his maiden IPL century in that same match, slamming 101* off 52.

Kohli will be up against Deepak Chahar, one of Chennai's most successful bowlers with two four-wicket hauls to his name. With 143 runs from four games, Kohli comes with an average of 47.66 and a strike rate of 128.82, making this an enticing match-up.

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#2 Faf du Plessis vs Kyle Jamieson

Pace and bounce meet solid batting at Wankhede. While Jamieson has been expensive for RCB, he's also picked up six wickets at an economy of 9.00.

Du Plessis, meanwhile, has been great with the bat for CSK, with 164 runs in four games. The South African batsman notched up an unbeaten 95 against Kolkata Knight Riders and is currently striking at 145.13 with an average of 82 from four games so far.

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#3 Yuzvendra Chahal vs MS Dhoni

The RCB leggie hasn't been among the wickets while the talismanic CSK skipper hasn't had the runs to show so far in IPL 2021. Chahal has just two wickets this season, while Dhoni has just 35 runs from four games.

The Wankhede is a batting paradise and Dhoni will be keen to flex those muscles and chip in for the side with a solid knock. Should he fall to Chahal, it might just be what the RCB spinner needed after his slow start to this edition of the tournament.

Chahal has six wickets at Wankhede over the course of his IPL career and will be hoping to improve his record. Kohli and his team will be eager to see him in the wickets column in a unit that has been highly consistent this season.