CSK vs RCB: Ruturaj Gaikwad starts captaincy career with a win; CSK win by 6 wickets

Shivam Dube finishes things off

CSK claim an incredible win in Ruturaj Gaikwad’s first match as a captain by 6 wickets.

Dube & Jadeja are in complete control; CSK needs 18 off 18

CSK is on the cusp of victory. Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja need a run-a-ball 18 to win.

Green strikes again! Mitchell departs for well made 22

Cameron Green, you beauty! We have a match on our hands. CSK now needs 64 off 45 balls to win.

Green strikes! Rahane departs for well made 27

The man with the golden arm, Cameron Green, sends Ajinkya Rahane back. CSK now needs 75 off 58 balls to win.

Ravindra gone!

An excellent knock comes to a premature end. Ravindra was flying at 15-ball 37. But he departs trying to go for a six. CSK 71/2 after 7.

End of powerplay

Chennai Super Kings have lost the explosiveness they had at the start. Yet, Rachin Ravindra’s fireworks and Ajinkya Rahane’s six take CSK to 62/1.

WICKET!

Ruturaj Gaikwad departs after a good start. He pokes a Yash Dayal delivery to the slip and after fumbling once, Cameron Green manages to hold on to it. CSK 38/1 after 4.

Lucky Ravindra

Rachin Ravindra has been lucky so far. He has survived two close chances and then he git a top edge off Siraj but it went for a 6. CSK 29/0 after 3 overs.

Steady start for Ruturaj & CSK

Ruturaj Gaikwad has given his team a flying start. CSK 8/0 after 1 over, chasing 174.

RCB post 173 on the board

Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik have done an incredible job of taking their team from 78/5 to 173/6 in 8.2 overs. Rawat ended with a splendid 48, and Karthik smashed 38 to rescue their team.

Anuj Rawat is turning it on!

RCB’s wicketkeeper batters are turning it on

Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat are turning it around for RCB. Rawat (41) and Karthik (26) after 18 overs.

Dinesh Karthik & Anuj Rawat rebuild

RCB are 90/5 after 14 overs, and DK and Anuj have stitched a 12-run stand.

Mustifizur magic!

Mustafizur picks two wickets in an over once again, sending Kohli and Green back, RCB 78/5 after 11.4 overs.

Ajinkya Rahane pulls off a screamer!

It’s a sad comeback for Virat Kohli. He departs for a scratchy 21, thanks to Rahane and Rachin Ravindra’s team catch on the leg side.

Virat Kohli: the ultimate record breaking

Kohli has become just the second batter to score 1000 runs against CSK after Shikhar Dhawan.

RCB collapse

Glenn Maxwell has departed for a golden duck. RCB are 42/3 in 5.3 overs after being 38/0 after 4 overs.

Virat Kohli & Cam Green steady ship

RCB are 63/3 after 9 overs, and Kohli and Green have stitched a 21-run stand.

Patidar gone!!!

Rajat Patidar and Faf du Plessis have been outfoxed by Mustafizur. RCB lost two wickets in 4 balls.

Mustafizur strikes!

Faf du Plessis has been sent back by Mustafizur Rahman for a fine 35-run knock.

Faf du Plessis is on fire! RCB are 38/0 after 4.

T20 Goat!

Virat Kohli has become the first Indian batter to score 12,000 runs in T20 cricket. 

Flying start for Faf du Plessis

The RCB skipper has taken the initiative to give his side a smashing start. The opener has raced to 18 off 12 balls in a flash.

Virat Kohli & Faf du Plessis begin

And here we go. Deepak Chahar is back with his swing and he kicks start IPL 2024 with a wide. Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis begin for RCB.

CSK 250

Chennai Super Kings will play their 250th match today.

Pitch report

The straight boundary is very long 80m but as per Kevin Pietersen, the pitch looks great. There are few cracks and that could help the spinners. There could be inconsistencies with the soil loose around the cracks. Win the the toss and bowl first is the verdict.

Toss Update

Faf du Plessis wins toss, opts to bat first against Chennai Super Kings.

Faf du Plessis speaks

We’ll bat first. Looks a good wicket, conditions here are a bat first wicket. First time back here, great to see the Chennai fans again but I’m here with RCB and hopefully we can turn over a very good CSK team. Prep has been good, we need to turn up now. A seasoned campaigner, brings that experience. Really good, our bowling resources fit well. Got more backup. Hopefully, injuires don’t bother us too much.

Ruturaj Gaikwad speaks

Feel privledged. But I want to try and be in my shoes, not fill anybody’s shoes. I got to know last week, but Mahi bhai hinted at it last year. Everyone is experienced here, sadly we are missing Conway and Pathirana. We’ve got Rachin and Mitchell coming in though. Four overseas – Mitchell, Rachin, Mustafizur and Theekshana.

RCB Playing XI

Dinesh Karthik may miss out on the keeping duties as Anuj Rawat is the designated wicketkeeper for RCB. Cameron Green makes RCB debut.

Faf du Plessis(c), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik(w), Anuj Rawat, Karn Sharma, Alzarri Joseph, Mayank Dagar, Mohammed Siraj

CSK Playing XI

With no Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra is making his debut. There is also Sameer Rizvi who impressed in the UPT20 league and Col CK Nayudu Trophy.

Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Ravindra Jadeja, Sameer Rizvi, MS Dhoni(w), Deepak Chahar, Maheesh Theekshana, Mustafizur Rahman, Tushar Deshpande

RCB impact sub bench

Yash Dayal, Akash, Prabhudessai, Swapnil, Vyshak

CSK impact sub bench

Shardul Thakur, Shivam Dube, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Moeen Ali

National Anthem

Sonu Nigam sings the National Anthem as IPL 2024 kicks off.

It’s time!

The 17th edition of Indian Premier League begins in Chennai today and what a clash to start with. It’s CSK vs RCB in the opener.

Dhoni fit to play

MS Dhoni is all fit to play as he warms up before the match. There were doubts over his playing career after he stepped down from captaincy for a second time. He alo had a knee surgery that he struggled with last season. But he is now ready to go at it again.

New captain

Chennai Super Kings will finally move on from MS Dhoni. They did that in 2022 but it did not work out as Ravindra Jadeja failed to deliver. And after 8 matches, he was removed. This time, a young Ruturaj Gaikwad will take the reigns and he seems to be CSK’s long-term future.

Thala arrives at the den

MS Dhoni in a ‘new role’, arrives at Chepauk. he will play as a player under Ruturaj Gaikwad. No burden of captaincy and now he can play freely for whatever time he can on the pitch.

New jersey

While CSK will have a new captain, RCB will debut a name. After a long wait, fans will finally have Royal Challengers Bengaluru changing from Bangalore. It connects with the city’s new name. Virat Kohli will hope that the change in name changes their fortune as well and end 16 years of wait to lift the IPL title.

IPL opening ceremony begins

AR Rahman enthralls fans in Chepauk as IPL Opening Ceremony kicks off.

IPL opening ceremony begins

Akshay Kumar arrives at the Chepauk with the India flag in his hands.