IPL 2019, Match 1, CSK vs RCB: 5 things to expect from the opener 

The IPL 2019 is all set to get underway at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai when the defending champions Chennai Super Kings take on the Virat Kohli led side Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 23, 2019.

In IPL 2018 auctions, CSK franchise was criticized for picking a relatively aged side. However, these experienced players delivered when needed the most, and won Chennai the IPL trophy for a joint record of third time in their storied history.

As always, during the IPL 2019 auctions, the CSK team stuck to their trait by retaining almost all the players from last year. The new addition to the team, Mohit Sharma was also part of the CSK not so long ago.

CSK and RCB contest in the past have never failed to deliver. However, as the record shows, the men in yellow have been dominant over the reds since the tournament started.

There has not been a dull moment when these two great IPL teams have met in the past and this years' opener is not going to be any different. So, here are four things that the fans can expect from the tournament opener.

Follow CSK vs RCB Live Score here on Sportskeeda

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#5 Battle of the Heavyweights

As the packed international calendar now comes to a close for India cricket team, they now head towards the IPL before the all-important World Cup 2019. Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni form the core around whom the entire team revolves around, and they are an important part of the side.

But for time being, they are opponents for a change and will look to find which of their team is best. Both of this franchise has a great history with one another and a lot of memorable encounters over the years.

No doubt, the support will be for the CSK, but good cricket will also be appreciated by the Chennai crowd.

#4 Lots of big hitting from both sides

Will he show his potential this IPL?

T20 is all about big hitting and there is no better side to do that than RCB. However, for some reasons, even with all firepower in their arsenal, they have not been able to conquer the IPL over the past 11 seasons.

Going into the new edition of IPL, they have added an exciting prospect for future in Shimron Hetmyer. The attacking southpaw impressed everyone when on a tour to India in 2018. He will be a key player for them. And then, there are usual suspects from both the teams in the form of Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo and AB de Villiers who add frenzy to this contest.

When the opener gets underway in the hot and humid Chennai, a lot of sixes along with the whistle podu chants can be expected for sure. It would just be a perfect start to the tournament.

#3 Yellow wave will be a sight

Whistle Podu chants will reverberate across the stadium.

The Chennai crowd has been among the passionate audience of cricket from the time cricket has graced the city. The best example is surely the lap of the honour done by the Pakistan cricket team for their sportive behaviour in 1999.

Can anyone remember the last time when a stadium was jam-packed just to see their home team practice in nets? That is precisely what transpired when the CSK team came out to the Chepauk ground to do their routines before the start of their 2019 campaign. It was a surreal moment for any team, let alone for a franchise based side.

If the support and following for a team is like that, then imagine what will be the scene when they take on the field against Virat and his men on the very first day of the IPL 2019 in a cricket loving city like Chennai.

#2 A thrilling finish on the cards

The rivalry will be renewed between the two teams

Chennai Super Kings may have won the IPL title last year, but it didn't come easy and they had to fight for everything. A lot of wins came from the jaws of defeat and one cannot say they were dominant from the word go. They unearthed a number of match winners with each player taking responsibility whenever required.

On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore were just the opposite. There were numerous instances during the course of the tournament where they just let the advantage slip away from their hands.

This could be the difference between the two sides yet again when they take on each other on what could be a mouth-watering contest between the two important teams of IPL in terms of fanfare. It will surely go down to the wire, like always.

#1 Virat Kohli vs Suresh Raina- Who will be the first to cross 5000 runs in IPL?

Both have the stalwarts of the IPL

When the two teams face each other, there will also be a contest within a contest. Bangalore captain Virat Kohli and Chennai's Suresh Raina would be competing against each other with an aim to book their names in IPL record books. The two will be bidding to outpace each other and become the first to reach the 5000-run mark in the history of the competition.

In 176 games, Raina has scored 4985 runs at an average of 34.37 and a strike rate of 138.43. The Uttar Pradesh player has so far managed 35 scores of above fifty and one century.

Compared to Raina, Kohli has 4948 runs in 163 matches at a slightly better average of 38.35 but a lower strike rate of 130.76. So far in his IPL career, the Indian captain has recorded four centuries and 34 half centuries.