Two titans of cricket are set to collide when the Chennai Super Kings take on RCB. This is a match that pits legend against legend as two giants of the Indian game, M.S Dhoni and Virat Kohli will hope to lead their team to victory and record a second straight victory in this year’s IPL.
Arguably one of the biggest contests of the group stage, this will be a match watched by tens of millions all over the world. In what could be one of the best matches of the 2025 IPL season, here is everything that you need to know ahead of this clash of the titans.
Form Overview
As is often the case when these two teams start any IPL season, the expectations are that they will be able to enjoy a deep run and for both teams the minimum of expectations is to qualify for the playoff phase of the competition.
For RCB, they headed into this IPL season feeling more pressure than most teams. Yet to win an IPL title, despite the constant presence of Virat Kohli, RCB have suffered more heartbreak than any other franchise, losing in three finals.
Once again they look to have assembled a squad that looks capable of finally getting over the line and they will head into this contest against their fierce rivals with plenty of confidence following an opening day victory over the defending IPL champions the Kolkata Knight Riders.
After pegging back the Knight Riders to a total of 174, Kohli bought in all of the good form from India’s successful Champions Trophy campaign, top scoring with 59 runs from 36 balls to ensure that RCB chased down the total with more than three overs to spare.
Whilst that win was done at a canter, it’s unlikely that they will be able to enjoy the same experience against the Super Kings.
Five time winners of the IPL, they have the opportunity to create history and win a sixth title this season and they got their 2025 campaign off to the perfect start when beating the Mumbai Indians in their opener.
Restricting the Indians to a fairly paltry score of 155, despite the loss of regular wickets, Rachin Ravindra was able to do enough to anchor the innings and ensured that the Super Kings would reach their total with five balls to spare.
This is a match that both teams would have been eyeing up since the 2025 schedule was released. For the fans the stage is set perfectly. Both teams head into the contest fresh off the back of wins and both will be wanting to put down an early marker for the rest of the season with a victory.
Where could the match be won or lost?
Despite there being a superb amount of skill on show with the ball, it’s a fair argument to make that both team’s strengths lie with the bat.
The race to end the year as the competition’s leading scorer is set to be competitive and Friday’s match between RCB and the Super Kings will see two men take to the field who will be eyeing up that prize.
Last year saw Virat Kohli capture the prestigious Orange Cap for the second time in his career and Kohli will have sights on winning the title for a third time and become the first back to back winner of the crown since Chris Gayle.
Since the IPL’s inception no batter has enjoyed as much success as Kohli and he is the competition’s top scorer and will be wanting to extend his lead at the top even further this year.
Having been in blistering form throughout India’s successful Champions Trophy campaign, Kohli hasn’t lost any of that momentum and after the first round of matches is already nicely placed just outside the top ten in the overall batting rankings.
Kohli has already cemented his position as a true great of the game, but the one title missing from his impressive list of accolades is IPL success. He will be desperate to amend that unwanted record this season and with the lights set to be at their brightest this Friday, the stage is perfectly set for Kohli to light it up once again.
Wanting to get his hands on a maiden Orange cap is Ruturaj Gaikwad. Despite the presence of M.S Dhoni it is Gaikwad who is the captain of the team and he will want to guide his side to a record sixth title this year.
Seemingly unburdened by the pressures of leading one of the IPL’s most storied franchises, Gaikwad alongside Ravindra was one of the main reasons behind the Super Kings victory over the Indians and he will hope to play a starring role once more.
With the Super Kings not containing the most powerful lineup, Gaikwad will be key to their chances, if he can keep his momentum going the Super Kings have every chance of landing the victory.
Which players should we be keeping an eye on?
There is no lack of star power when these sides take on each other, but whilst for RCB there will be plenty of focus on Virat Kohli, one man who can’t be underestimated is Phil Salt.
Salt has worked his way to the top of the English batting order for both their T20 and 50 over sides and he has shown that he has a liking for the IPL. Already with a half century in RCB’s opening day win over the Knight Riders, Salt has the ability to get his team off to a great start and can be destructive when at his best.
When playing for last season’s victorious Knight Riders, Salt comfortably ranked inside the top ten when it came down to the most 6s hit. A boundary machine when at his best, he will hope that the runs flow in this blockbuster occasion.
One man who will be wanting to stop the flow of runs from Salt and Kohli is Ravi Jadeja. Surrounded by stars when he plays for India, Jadeja’s importance to his sides can often be overlooked but he is a vital cog to the Chennai machine.
Boasting a career IPL average of 7.61, Jadeja offers little to the batsmen and is a constant wicket taking threat.
Ranked tenth in the all time wicket taking list, expect him to be a major force in this all-star contest.
Where is the match being played?
The match will take place at the M.A Chidabarum Stadium and is a home game for Chennai. One of the most spin friendly pitches in the IPL, this could be a low scoring contest and any score above 150 will be a challenging total. Expect this to be a gripping contest throughout.
What is the head to head record between the teams?
As two of the most established sides in the history of the IPL, the two teams have played each other on numerous occasions, and in recent times it’s been exceptionally hard to predict a winner.
Of the last five encounters it’s the Super Kings who hold an edge leading the last five matches 3-2.
When the two last faced off against each other it was RCB who emerged victorious and they will hope to repeat the feat this time around.
Winners by 27 runs, Virat Kohli produced a star turn and his 47 runs off just 29 balls was a key reason behind their victory. Chennai will want to keep Kohli quiet this time around.
Who will win the match between the Chennai Super Kings and RCB
Both teams will want to win this match and proceed to a 2-0 record for the season. Both will have aspirations of winning the IPL season and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see these two lock horns later in the season.
Due to being at home the bookmakers view Chennai as the favourites and on a pitch and surroundings they know well, it’s hard to argue against it.
As is often the way when Chennai play at home, the match will come down to spin and the duo of Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja. If Ashwin and Jadeja can cause havoc they can lead Chennai to a narrow win, however look out for the power of the English duo, Phil Salt and Liam Livingston who will be hoping to bludgeon RCB to a memorable victory.
Tom Gibson
Tom Gibson, 33, possesses a keen interest in cricket combined with expertise in betting. Based in Newcastle, he is well-acquainted with the dynamics of the game and the betting world. With numerous years analyzing cricket matches and odds, Tom offers a unique perspective on the intersection of the sport and betting strategies