🏏IPL 2025 - Match 52 RCB vs CSK at Chinnaswamy @7:30 PM IST🏏

🏏IPL 2025 - Match 52: RCB vs CSK at Chinnaswami on 3rd May 2025 @ 7:30 PM IST🏏

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's crucial IPL 2025 home game against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday faces potential disruption due to heavy rainfall in Bengaluru, which could impact RCB's pursuit of a top-two finish with 16 points. Both teams' training sessions were already affected by rain on the eve of the match.

The Indian Meteorological Department has forecasted a 70% chance of rain on Saturday, stating that "rain or thundershowers would occur towards afternoon or evening" on May 3.RCB's later practice session, starting at 5pm, saw Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal batting for nearly an hour before heavy rain forced its cancellation. The city experienced severe water-logging due to thunderstorms and lightning throughout the evening.The match holds particular significance for RCB, currently placed third with seven wins and three losses. A victory would propel them to the top of the points table.

CSK, having secured only two wins in ten games, are already eliminated from playoff contention.

This weather situation recalls a previous rain-affected match in Bengaluru last month, where the RCB-Punjab Kings game was reduced to 14 overs per side.

The fixture marks RCB's first home encounter against CSK in Bengaluru since their crucial IPL 2024 match, where RCB's 27-run victory secured their playoff qualification.

In their previous meeting this season in Chennai, RCB emerged victorious with a 50-run margin.

Big picture: RCB aim for the magic 16 points

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Bengaluru is arguably one of the biggest clashes in the IPL. But there is a distinct vibe missing from this game this time around, and CSK's season has a lot to do with that.

There was hardly any crowd outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium when CSK arrived for their training session ahead of Saturday's game. This was very different from last year, when both sides of the street outside the venue were packed even on the eve of the game, and a sizeable crowd had gathered inside to watch the players train.

Make no mistake, the RCB-CSK clash will still get top billing. The tickets have been sold out for weeks, and the stadium will be packed to the rafters to watch MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli go head-to-head (for one final time?). But the buzz is missing.

CSK have lost eight out of ten games, and were the first team to be knocked out of IPL 2025. Even their training session on the eve of the fixture against RCB wasn't as intense as it might otherwise be. Shaikh Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre started the session with R Ashwin, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad bowling in one set of the nets, while Vijay Shankar went ahead at another.

Ravindra Jadeja walked in for a bat half an hour after the training began, but intense rain stopped the session for about 40 minutes. CSK picked up pace after the rain break, with Sam Curran, Jadeja, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Dewald Brevis all having a go. Dhoni, Shivam Dube and Matheesha Pathirana were the notable absentees from the training session.

It was quite different at the other end in the RCB camp. Currently on 14 points, a win at home will take RCB to 16, and make their playoffs chances and a potential top-two finish even stronger. They started their training session with Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal sharing one net, and Jitesh Sharma in another, with Dinesh Karthik keeping a careful watch, while Romario Shepherd was having a hit in a third net. RCB also had a wristspinner very similar to Noor, bowling at Kohli and Padikkal.

In the spotlight: Krunal Pandya and Khaleel Ahmed

With the limelight on Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya has quietly flown under the radar. He has picked 13 wickets this season, which is his best ever in a season. But, more importantly, all his wickets have come in RCB wins. In the seven matches RCB have won, Krunal has 13 wickets in 26 overs at an economy of 8.2, while in the three matches that RCB have lost, he has no wicket to show in six overs, with his economy zooming to 10.5. Krunal has the second-most wickets by a spinner this season, behind Noor, and has been RCB's go-to spinner in the middle-overs, where he operates at an economy rate of 8.18. Krunal is coming into the game on the back of a Player-of-the-Match performance against Delhi Capitals, where he was frugal with the ball, and scored an unbeaten 73 with the bat.

While there has been little to write home about CSK's bowling this season, Khaleel Ahmed has been pretty consistent, especially at the start. No other bowler has more powerplay wickets than Khaleel this season (nine), while he has also bowled 106 dot balls, the highest for any bowler. In terms of dot balls, this is already Khaleel's third-best season, and he still has four games to go. Khaleel has the second-most wickets for CSK behind Noor, and had an interesting battle with Phil Salt and Kohli when these two teams met earlier this season. He will want to continue the good run of form going forward.

Team news and probable XIIs

Salt had missed RCB's previous game due to illness, and his availability remains unconfirmed. If he misses out, Jacob Bethell could retain his place at the top of the order. RCB are unlikely to make any other changes to their side. Padikkal could come in as the Impact Player in place of Suyash Sharma, and vice versa.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Jacob Bethell, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Romario Shepherd, 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Suyash Sharma

CSK went with an unchanged side last time, and are unlikely to tinker with the XI unless they want to give some of the other members of the squad a game. In that case, Vansh Bedi could slot in to replace Deepak Hooda.

Chennai Super Kings: 1 Shaik Rasheed, 2 Ayush Mhatre, 3 Sam Curran, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Dewald Brevis, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Deepak Hooda/Vijay Shankar/Vansh Bedi, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Anshul Kamboj, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmed, 12 Matheesha Pathirana

Pitch and conditions: Rain in the air

There has already been a rain-shortened game in Bengaluru, and there is rain in the air for Saturday as well. There are thunderstorms predicted for early to late evening, with the temperature expected to hover around the 30 degree mark. The surface has been under covers for the better part of three days, and there could be something in it for the bowlers all through.

Stats and trivia: CSK's batting woes

• CSK have the lowest strike rate (121) against spin, and have lost the most wickets (31) to that type of bowling in this IPL. Their run rate in the powerplay (7.91) is also the least for any team this season.
• Tim David has fallen to Noor twice in three T20 innings, and averages just four against him.
• Kohli has fallen to spin just twice in eight innings this IPL, and averages 109.5 against it.
• Noor has the most wickets in middle overs (7 to 16) in IPL 2025: 13.
• Dhoni averages 40.6, and has the most runs against RCB in the IPL: 894

RCB vs CSK Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter Prediction – Virat Kohli (RCB)

With 443 runs in his last 10 matches, Virat Kohli has been in good form and is currently third on the list of highest run-scorers in IPL 2025. He is coming off a match-winning knock 51-run knock against Delhi Capitals and will be keen on piling up the runs even further against the Chennai-based franchise. Notably, the veteran batter has already registered six fifty-plus scores this season, with three of them coming in the last three games.

Probable Best Bowler Prediction – Krunal Pandya (RCB)

Krunal Pandya has come out to be one of the best additions to RCB this season, and the left-arm spinner can prove to be the difference-maker in the upcoming game. With 13 wickets in 10 games and an economy of 8.62, Pandya is running high on confidence. With the surface having some assistance for spinners, the 34-year-old could make the most of it and pick wickets at crucial moments.

Today's Match Prediction: Royal Challengers Bengaluru to win the match

Scenario 1

If Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowl first:

• CSK PP: 40-50
• CSK Total: 170-180
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru to win

Scenario 2

If Chennai Super Kings bowl first:

• RCB PP: 60-70
• RCB Total: 200-210
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru to win

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Injuries/Availability: Phil Salt missed the Delhi game with a fever. Padikkal said Salt was in touch with the medical team and hoped to have him "back soon," but it's unclear if Saturday will come too soon. RCB's optional training session on match eve was heavily interrupted by rain, though Jacob Bethell managed a brief session facing under-armed balls from a member of the support staff between the downpours.

Tactics & Matchups:

CSK average the least (14.5) and have lost the most wickets to short balls (12) in the PowerPlay this season. This is Josh Hazlewood's natural length and one that has worked very well at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB's quicks took 3 for 12 from 19 short-pitched deliveries in the reverse fixture at Chepauk.