IPL 2022: 5 of the best RCB vs CSK matches in IPL history

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has always been one of the most high-profile contests in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. The two south Indian sides have always been among the best in the league.

While CSK have added four championships to their kitty, RCB are yet to open their account. The Chennai-based franchise also leads the head-to-head between the two sides in IPL. RCB and CSK have faced off in 28 matches so far, with the latter winning 18 times, RCB winning nine, while one match has ended in no result.

This season, however, Chennai have struggled to string together a run of favorable results, losing all four of their matches so far. They are thus bottom of the table after their disastrous start.

RCB, on the other hand, have won three of their four matches in IPL 2022, which has placed them third in the league table. They have had a good start to life under new captain Faf du Plessis, and the South Africa will want to continue in a similar vein when he faces his former side.

CSK and RCB will face off in the 22nd match of the ongoing season at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday, April 12. As the two sides prepare for the mammoth encounter, we take a look at the five most memorable matches between the two south Indian rivals.

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#1 IPL 2013, Chennai - CSK win by 4 wickets

RP Singh bowled a no-ball as Jadeja took CSK to the win even after getting caught (Image Courtesy: iplt20.com)

This encounter will forever be etched in the memory of CSK fans. On a sultry night at the Chepauk, MS Dhoni won the toss and put RCB in to bat first.

The usual suspects in Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers delivered for the Royal Challengers for the umpteenth time. Both batters scored a half-century to take RCB to a respectable total of 165. Chris Morris shone with the ball for Chennai, picking up three wickets in his quota of four overs.

In reply, CSK endured a jittery start. Openers Murali Vijay and Michael Hussey were back in the hut with just 10 runs on the board. Suresh Raina (30) and Subramanian Badrinath (34) then joined hands to add 56 runs for the third wicket and take CSK closer to the total.

MS Dhoni chipped in with 33 runs as well but it was Ravindra Jadeja's late onslaught - a 20-ball-38 - that took Chennai over the line. With two runs needed off the last ball, the left-handed all-rounder directed an RP Singh bouncer straight into the hands of the third man.

However, RP had overstepped, handing Chennai a nerve-wracking victory.

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#2 IPL 2018, Bengaluru - CSK win by 5 wickets

In a jam-packed Chinnaswamy on April 25, 2018, Dhoni won the toss and invited RCB to set the target. And the home team responded in style.

Quinton de Kock led the charge for the Challengers with a 37-ball-53, which featured a boundary and four maximums. AB de Villiers then joined the party, taking CSK bowlers to the cleaners, slamming 68 runs in just 30 balls with eight sixes.

Bangalore eventually finished at 205, setting CSK a daunting total. But the Chinnaswamy pitch was heavily favoring the batters, and Chennai made full use of it to eventually chase down the target in the last over.

It was, however, just two batters, Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu, who took CSK through the line. The wicketkeeper-batter finished things in style with a 34-ball-70 to top off Rayudu's 82 off 53. CSK needed 71 off the last five overs, but Dhoni's late onslaught blew RCB apart.

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#3 IPL 2019, Bengaluru - RCB win by one wicket

This IPL 2019 encounter between the two sides saw a full 40 overs of play, with the home side coming out on top by just one run. After winning the toss, Dhoni chose to bowl first and Deepak Chahar gave them a near-perfect start, dismissing Virat Kohli in the third over with just 11 runs on the board.

But Parthiv Patel held on to one end, scoring a 37-ball-53. Along with decent contributions from AB de Villiers, Akshdeep Nath, Marcus Stoinis and Moeen Ali, he took RCB to a respectable total of 161.

Chennai started horribly in reply, losing both Shane Watson and Suresh Raina in the first over itself. Faf du Plessis followed suit in the fourth over and Kedar Jadhav's dismissal in the fifth over reduced CSK to 28-4.

Dhoni and Rayudu then went about rescuing the innings, with the wicketkeeper-batter remaining unbeaten on 84 off 48. But he wasn't able to see them through even when CSK needed two off the last delivery. It was, however, Dhoni's innings that took Chennai so close.

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#4 IPL 2015, Ranchi - CSK win by three wickets

Nehra was named the Player of the Match in a narrow CSK win (Image Courtesy: iplt20.com)

The two south Indian behemoths faced off in the second qualifier of IPL 2015. Dhoni once again won the coin toss and invited RCB to bat first.

Chris Gayle played an uncharacteristic 41-run knock off 43 deliveries on a tough Ranchi pitch. The usual suspects in Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers departed early but late contributions from Dinesh Karthik and Sarfaraz Khan took Bangalore to 139.

140 wasn't an easy target by any means on a tricky track. But Chennai still looked in complete control of the chase until the second last over. The 19th over, bowled by Mitchell Starc, saw both Pawan Negi and Dwayne Bravo depart, with Dhoni dismissed on the fourth delivery of the last over.

But with CSK needing just a run to win, Ashwin nudged the ball towards the leg side for a single, sending Chennai into the final of the tournament, which they lost to Mumbai Indians.

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#5 IPL 2009, Durban - RCB win by two wickets

Anil Kumble dragged RCB back into this game in Durban (Image Courtesy: iplt20.com)

The Royal Challengers prevailed by two wickets in this low-scoring league encounter between the two sides in IPL 2009. Upon choosing to bat first after winning the toss, Chennai were cruising, with Matthew Hayden and Jocab Oram on the crease and the scoreboard reading 101-3.

But Anil Kumble and Vinay Kumar combined to derail the CSK innings, restricting them to just 129 runs. The Dhoni-led side lost their last seven wickets for just 28 runs, setting RCB a 130-run target.

Things became difficult for RCB before easing out as they lost Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid in the first two overs, respectively. Uthappa followed them to the pavilion three overs later before a young Virat Kohli and Ross Taylor rescued their innings.

The two added 56 runs for the fourth wicket, but RCB too lost wickets in cluster to set up an enticing finish. Praveen Kumar emerged as an unlikely hero as his six-ball-12 saw RCB through with just two wickets and as many balls to spare.