RCB vs CSK Highlights, IPL 2021: CSK bowlers shine as Chennai beats Bangalore by 6 wickets to go atop the points table

There is a further delay of another 10-15 minutes as another exception will happen at 7:25 pm IST. The captains are still out there and speaking to each other.

Check out the rather unique video

Dhoni and Kohli are using the delay to catch up. Not like they need the toss to do so but they can be seen having an intense discussion. Love to see two great minds of the game share talk cricket. 

What do you think they are talking about?

Definitely not the Sharjah sandstorm.

The toss is next up! Let's find out what happens. This is going to be so exciting. 

We have had a sandstorm in Abu Dhabi, so we are expecting the toss to happen in 5 minutes. STAY TUNED!

Probably need to make more runs, need to string together a few partnerships and take it from there, hopefully the last game was just a blip. I like to hit a few balls in the nets, have a run-out, catch a few balls and get used to the surroundings, keep myself as comfortable as I can. Not a lot has changed over the years, I have reached that stage where I can make my notes ahead of the game. Just adjust to the situation, read the situation, take a few balls and then play the way I know. That has been my usual routine over the years.

Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is certainly having a rough patch in his career in T20s.

In 2021 IPL so far, Chahal has taken only 5 wickets from 8 matches at an average of 42.60.

Moreover, across T20s in 2021, his bowling average is 38.21, the worst for him since 2014 in a year.

He has had 6 wicketless innings out of 18 across T20s in 2021.

“There were 220 sixes hit last year (at Sharjah) However, this wicket is patchy, you are not going to get the normal sheen. I actually think you should have a bowl here, just to see exactly how the wicket is going to play tonight,” reckons Kevin Pietersen

Here's our CSK Predicted XI: Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar

Here's our RCB Predicted XI: Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (Captain), KS Bharat (WK),Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Kyle Jamieson, Tim David, Sachin Baby, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood, Sam Curran, Robin Uthappa, Cheteshwar Pujara, Karn Sharma, Imran Tahir, Jason Behrendorff, Krishnappa Gowtham, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif, Harishankar Reddy, Bhagath Varma

Royal Challengers Bangalore Squad: Virat Kohli(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat(w), Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini, Sachin Baby, Daniel Christian, Dushmantha Chameera, Pavan Deshpande, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, George Garton, Suyash Prabhudessai, Tim David, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akash Deep

CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad will be playing his 50th T20 match.

He started his T20 career in 2017 and has amassed 1460 runs in the format.

Gaikwad had his best year in terms of average in 2020 but had a bumpy start in IPL 2021.

By now, Gaikwad has played in 3 different countries in his T20 journey.

However, in UAE he has been excellent with his willow. He has also hit 4 fifties in UAE and all 4 of them have come in wins.

RCB’s top-order (1-3) has been quite inconsistent in this edition of IPL with an average of 25.62.

RCB top-order have hit only 17 sixes – fewest among all teams in IPL 2021.

Moreover, RCB has used 6 different players at the top-order (1-3) in IPL 2021.

Kohli-Padikkal have scored 420 runs at an average of 32.31 with the SR of 133.33.

While others have amassed only 118 runs at an average of 14.75 with the SR of 100.

This indicates RCB’s number 3 batters are not able to complement the start provided by the openers.

In IPL 2021 so far, RCB’s number 3 has been averaging 15.43 – thelowest for the team in a single IPL along with their SR of 105.88.

It will be interesting to see whether RCB hand Tim David a debut today.

36 but still looking as dangerous as ever, is Ambati Rayudu.

Chennai Super Kings not only dominate the overall head-to-head but also the recent H2H battle

CSK won by 69 runs (IPL 2021, Match 19)

CSK won by 8 wickets(IPL 2020, Match 44)

RCB won by 37 runs (IPL 2021, Match 25)

RCB won by 1 run (IPL 2019, Match 39)

CSK won by 7 wickets (IPL 2019, Match 1)

In the last 5 matches, Chennai Super Kings have won 4 matches and lost just 1

vs MI: won by 20 runs

vs MI: lost by 4 wickets

vs SRH: win by 7 wickets

vs RCB: won by 69 runs

vs KKR: won by 18 runs

In the last 5 matches, Royal Challengers Bangalore have won 2 and lost 3 matches

vs KKR: lost by 9 wickets

vs PBKS: lost by 34 runs

vs DC: won by 1 run

vs CSK: lost by 69 runs

vs RR: won by 10 wickets

The last time these two teams met, there was one man who tore the entire opposition apart. Enter “Sir” Ravindra Jadeja. The Saurashtra all-rounder smashed 62 off just 28 balls, including scoring 37 runs off Harshal Patel's final over, to guide his side to 191-4. In the second innings, “Jaddu” returned with figures of 3/13 in four overs to help CSK restrict RCB to 122/9 in 20 overs and seal a 69-run win.

RCB vs CSK means Dhoni vs Kohli. Not only is their captaincy in focus, their batting is also looked at with very keen eyes. While the latter has scored 203 runs in 8 matches so far in IPL 2021, Dhoni has only scored 40 runs in eight innings. That's not it. Kohli scored 5 in the previous game, while Dhoni could only manage 3. They both are now long due.

Both Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Banglore are currently placed in the top half of the table.

CSK- 2nd position (P-8 | W-6 | L-2 | Points-12)

RCB- 3rd position (P-8 | W-5 | L-3 | Points-10)

The fans have been treated to the “Southern Derby” 27 times in the tournament so far. And as it stands, it's the Kings from Chennai that dominate the head-to-head battle with 17 wins as opposed to Bangalore's 9.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of match 36 of IPL 2021 between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Every meeting between the two Indian Premier League giants proves to be nothing short of a belter as the “Southern Derby” tends to live up to its billing. Moreover, this encounter involves two of India's best captains in MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. They were very good friends in the Indian team and continue to remain that way off the field but they leave no stone unturned whenever they lock horns with each other. CSK thrashed RCB in their previous meeting during IPL 2021 and knowing Kohli's mindset and passion for the game, he would be more than eager to settle the score today. So, lock yourselves in, folks! This is not a game you'd want to miss!