IPL 2022 Highlights, RCB vs CSK: Bangalore hold nerve to beat Chennai by 13 runs, enter top-4

MS Dhoni to take the field for the second time as captain against potentially his favourite opposition, RCB. CSK have enjoyed an excellent record against RCB, winning 19 of 29 games against the side under his captaincy.

“It is subtly drier, more grass taken off. Spinners generally tend to have a massive say in Pune. It is about the pacers. Lot more slower balls are now being bowled," Danny Morrison says about the pitch at the MCA Stadium in Pune.

“He is a brilliant captain and motivator. Dhoni's impact is such that people are believing even if the situation is hopeless about 2 weeks ago,” Swann said.

Ravi Shastri had an advice for Virat Kohli ahead of the game; “Look to time the ball and not muscle the ball.”

Kohli had hit a half-century in the previous game against SRH.

“I won't be surprised if we see a different Jadeja. Because the pressure is off him now,” Ravi Shastri says about the CSK all-rounder in the pre-match show on Star Sports.

RCB are currently sixth in IPL 2022 table with five wins and as many losses in the league so far.

CSK are ninth with three wins and six losses in nine matches.

While RCB will enter the top-4 with a win, CSK face a must-win situation.

MS Dhoni could reach a number of feats with the bat tonight;

- 6 runs away from 6,000 runs as captain

- 6 sixes away from 200 IPL sixes for CSK

- 6 fours away from 500 T20 fours

- 4 sixes away from 50 sixes against RCB; first Indian to score 50 sixes against an IPL opposition

Mitchell Santner did take the wicket of Aiden Markram in the game against SRH, but conceded 36 runs in merely three overs. Will CSK put their faith in Santner, or bring back Moeen Ali in the game against RCB?

In the last game, CSK successfully defended a 203-run target against SRH at the same venue. However, the humidity levels are expected to be lower tonight, which means a possibility of less dew.

Will we see a captain braving the conditions and opting to bat?

In their first meeting, CSK began with the spin duo of Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theekshana in the Powerplay. Theekshana struck twice in the Powerplay, dismissing Faf du Plessis and Anuj Rawat.

Will Dhoni apply a similar tactic tonight?

MS Dhoni could become the only second captain to reach 6,000 runs in the shortest format of the game if he scores 6 more against RCB tonight.

Virat Kohli holds the record for most runs as T20 captain (6,451 runs in 190 matches).

The RCB spinners have combined to take 18 wickets in IPL 2022 so far. Wanindu Hasaranga has taken 15 of them.

Interestingly, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who was released by RCB ahead of this season, has picked 19.

Ravindra Jadeja may have not been in best of form, but there couldn't be a better game for the ex-CSK captain to find his groove.

Jadeja has dismissed Maxwell on six occasions in 9 IPL matches, and will be aiming to win the battle against the Aussie star again.

The RCB captain has been dismissed five times by left-arm pacers in IPL 2022 so far; does this give an upper hand to Mukesh Choudhary, who has been in fine form for CSK?

Robin Uthappa will also be eyeing a massive IPL feat if he takes the field against RCB tonight. Uthappa is only 50 runs away from reaching 5,000 runs in the league.

Uthappa will become the only seventh batter in the IPL to reach 5000 runs.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be appearing in his 200th IPL game for CSK tonight.

Matches played: 29

RCB won: 9

CSK won: 19

NR: 1

Mukesh Choudhary has undoubtedly been one of the emerging players -- not only for CSK but also in IPL 2022.

In 8 matches so far, Choudhary has taken 11 wickets and took a four-fer in the side's last match against SRH.

Mohammed Siraj has conceded at an economy rate of 9.39 in the league so far, taking 8 wickets in 10 matches.

In the game against GT, Rajat Patidar took an aggressive approach while Virat Kohli bode time on the crease, scoring a brisk 52 off 32 balls while coming at no.3

RCB will be hoping for a similar performance from the Indian youngster tonight.

Harshal Patel has dismissed Dhoni twice, and Rayudu on five occasions in IPL 2022 so far. The pacer has been one of the most consistent bowlers for RCB so far, and will be aiming to provide the side with an early breakthrough.

MS Dhoni has rolled back the years with some brilliant performances with the bat in the ongoing season. Since beginning his season with an unbeaten 50 against KKR, Dhoni had put on 90 more runs in another seven innings, while remaining unbeaten in four. He boasts of an average of 35 with a strike rate of 132.07.

Shivam Dube, who scored a brilliant 95 off 46 deliveries, might return to the XI.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ambati Rayadu, Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, MS Dhoni, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Mukesh Choudhary, Dwaine Pretorius, Dwayne Bravo

RCB are unlikely to make any changes to their XI that played against GT in their last game.

Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (C), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Shahbaz Ahmed, Mahipal Lomror, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazelwood, Harshal Patel.

Seven matches have been played at the MCA Stadium in Pune in IPL 202 so far. The teams batting first have won four of them!