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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their fifth match of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). The contest is slated to take place at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, April 17.
CSK gathered a little momentum following their successive wins over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Mumbai Indians (MI) after their opening-day defeat at the hands of the Gujarat Titans (GT). But they then went on to suffer a narrow defeat against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at home, leaving them in search of another winning run.
The five-time champions are currently dealing with numerous injuries and are running out of contingency plans. The likes of Deepak Chahar and Ben Stokes have been nursing injuries for a while and Sisanda Magala emerges as the latest casualty. MS Dhoni is also reportedly nursing a knee injury but is expected to take the field.
CSK have stepped up despite the injuries, with backup players like Ajinkya Rahane and Akash Singh putting in decent performances in the absence of the big names. They currently have four points from four matches and with there being a distinct gap between league leaders Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the rest, the upcoming set of matches will dictate their position in the points table at the halfway stage.
On that note, here are three things that CSK have to do right in order to etch a win over RCB in IPL 2023.
#1 Break RCB's opening partnership as soon as possible
The in-form Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis have been a thorn in the opposition sides, especially at home. Kohli has struck three consecutive fifties at the venue and, along with the RCB skipper, has got the team off to a flier on each occasion.
It goes without saying that RCB's batting unit sort of lives and dies with the prolific duo at the top. Rajat Patidar's absence has left them devoid of a bridge to the middle order, which is rife with all-rounders.
The team tested out Mahipal Lomror at No. 3 in their win over the Delhi Capitals (DC), which is their only option considering the balance of their team. Dinesh Karthik's poor form adds more concern should Kohli and Du Plessis falter at the top.
CSK's new-ball bowlers will be on high alert and give it their all to expose the fragile RCB middle order as soon as possible. The likes of Tushar Deshpande and Maheesh Theeksana will be tasked with getting early breakthroughs.
#2 Rotate strike in the middle overs and up the ante
CSK skipper MS Dhoni stressed the lack of intent in the middle overs by the batters, which was something that hurt CSK's chances of successfully chasing down the target against the Royals a few days back.
While the top order has clicked on most occasions, the middle order is yet to step up to the plate. The likes of Shivam Dube, Ambati Rayudu, and Moeen Ali have not been reliant enough to ease the pressure on finishers Ravindra Jadeja and Dhoni.
This might be the perfect opportunity for the middle order to step up considering that RCB have been far from their best while bowling in that phase of the game. While Bangalore have been bolstered by the return of Wanindu Hasaranga, it is still an avenue that can be exploited.
#3 Negotiate Mohammed Siraj's threat in the powerplay
Mohammed Siraj has easily been the best bowler for RCB in the tournament so far. His early breakthroughs have just been so crucial for the team, and more importantly, he has been extremely consistent.
With figures of 1-21, 3-22, and 2-23 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium so far, RCB have arguably got the best version of their bowling spearhead.
The approach that CSK openers will take against Siraj will be crucial. Devon Conway has lost his wicket to pacers three times out of four in IPL 2023 and that would be an area of concern as far as CSK are concerned.
They cannot afford to allow Siraj to dictate the terms early on and be on the back foot from the word go. CSK batters will have to smartly balance caution with aggression against Siraj if they wish to put RCB under pressure.
Who will win the upcoming contest between CSK and RCB in IPL 2023? Let us know what you think.
