IPL 2025: RCB break 17-year Chepauk jinx against CSK with crushing win

Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Chennai Super Kings in Chennai by 50 runs for the first time in 17 years. So rare was this event that every journalist who sums up this game will tell you about how different the world was back in 2008.

We will too, but before that, get this: MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are the only surviving members from the CSK-RCB game of 2008 – the other 19 players do not play competitive cricket anymore. Ravindra Jadeja, one of the most influential CSK players, was an up-and-coming rockstar for the Rajasthan Royals.

A never ending story

Last over MS Dhoni superhits

Scorecard https://t.co/I7maHMwxDS #TATAIPL | #CSKvRCB | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/j5USqXvf7r

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 28, 2025

The last time RCB beat CSK…

On May 21, 2008, when CSK had last lost a game to RCB at home, the Indian cricket team looked very different. Kohli was yet to make his international debut and Anil Kumble was still India’s Test captain.

Sachin Tendulkar had scored 81 international hundreds – still short of the magical 100 he would go on to achieve a few years later.

That’s not all – Neither Rafael Nadal nor Novak Djokovic had won Wimbledon, and D Gukesh, the current world chess champion, was not even 2 years old.

That game in May 2008 was a low-scoring affair – RCB had scored only 126 for 8 on a slow pitch after skipper Rahul Dravid top-scored with 47. CSK could only manage 112 in response as Anil Kumble finished with 3 for 14 and won the man-of-the-match award.

IPL 2025 clash: One-sided affair

The game on Friday night was a bigger no-contest than the one nearly 2 decades ago.

Chasing 197, CSK lost Rahul Tripathi and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad to Josh Hazlewood in the second over of the innings. It was a disaster before more misery unfolded for the 5-time champions.

Deepak Hooda lasted for only 9 balls and Sam Curran continued to be poor. The asking rate naturally kept climbing because CSK kept losing wickets and did not score quickly enough. The writing was on the wall when Yash Dayal removed Rachin Ravindra for 41 and CSK lost half their side for only 75.

Shivam Dube, the Impact Sub, came in with better intent than all the others ahead of him in the line-up, but his innings was cut short by Dayal in the same over.

R Ashwin walked in ahead of MS Dhoni to join Ravindra Jadeja and even their primary target of ensuring minimal damage to the net run rate was steep.

There was obviously a loud cheer when Dhoni came out to bat, but the game was already way out of CSK’s reach, and the players went through the motions in a one-sided match.

RCB get NRR boost

It was a clinical performance by RCB, who are determined not to let the NRR column spoil their party at the business end of the tournament.

This win should give RCB a massive boost. CSK do not lose at home often. This was only their 22nd defeat at Chepauk in 73 matches in the IPL.

RCB have breached the Chepauk fortress, and they will be raring to go back home to take on Gujarat Titans on April 2. CSK’s next assignment is lined up for Sunday when they play Rajasthan Royals.