The 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is finally here and the opening fixture will see the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on Faf du Plessis’ Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Chepauk. As the two star-studded sides lock horns in a high-voltage season opener, the eyes will be on the line-ups as to who gets named in the line-up and which player becomes the first Impact substitute of the season.
IPL 2024 Opening Ceremony Live Updates
CSK will usher into a new era with Ruturaj Gaikwad named as the successor of MS Dhoni. The reigning champions made the surprise announcement on Thursday night and it will be interesting to see how the team would fair under the leadership of a fresh face. The men in yellow will miss the services of two of their dependable overseas resources – Devon Conway and Matheesha Pathirana – who won’t be available for the first few weeks due to injuries.
CSK vs RCB: Rachin Ravindra Likely to Debut for CSK
Conway’s unavailability is likely to make way for his compatriot Rachin Ravindra, handing him an opportunity to make his IPL debut. The rest of the batting line-up looks red-hot which includes the likes of Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube and the all-rounder duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur.
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CSK vs RCB: Mustafizur Rahman in for Pathirana
On the other hand, Pathirana’s absence could be a concern for Dhoni & Co. The Sri Lankan pacer played a key role in CSK’s title triumph last season and most likely, would be replaced by their new recruit from Bangladesh, Mustafizur Rahman who will share the bowling responsibilities with Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande and Maheesh Theekshana.
CSK vs RCB: Cameron Green In Line for Debut
On the other side of the ring, it’s the RCB with a new name and new jersey but with an age-old mission of winning their first title. Their latest recruit, Cameron Green, will be one of the players to watch out for, given his prowess on Indian soil. Also, the inclusion of Lockie Ferguson, who comes into the Bengaluru camp from Gujarat, will bolster the bowling attack.
But the centre of attraction will be Virat Kohli who will be in action after a couple of months. He missed the entire 5-match Test series against Bangladesh and his performance this season will decide his candidature for the subsequent T20 World Cup in the West. The focus will also be on wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik who recently switched back to cricket from his commentary commitments.
The RCB has a horrid record at the Chepauk, winning just 1 game out of 8 played at this venue. Their only victory at this venue was in 2008 but this year, they will look to break the jinx.
CSK Playing XI vs RCB
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rachin Ravindra, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman, Maheesh Theekshana.
RCB Playing XI vs CSK
Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Cameron Green, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lamror, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Suyash Prabhudessai, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Siraj, Karn Sharma.
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