MS Dhoni's CSK To Lose IPL 2024 Opener Vs Virat Kohli's RCB; Here's Why

Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni posing for a photo earlier days in IPL (X.com)Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni posing for a photo earlier days in IPL (X.com)

The grandest T20 League in the world, IPL, is all set to begin on March 22, with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the defending champions, taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.

Given the fact that IPL is a highly competitive league, we can very rarely predict the outcome of any fixture. Yet, considering CSK’s too many things to worry about at present, it is safe to say that the Faf du Plessis-led RCB will have an upper hand before they go up against MS Dhoni and his boys on the field.

No Devon Conway To Pair With Ruturaj Gaikwad

CSK's formula for success is nothing but the openers scoring the majority of the runs, with the remaining players providing a fitting finish. Their two reliables at the top were Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who were the pinnacle of their title win last year as well.

However, Conway won’t be available this time around, which has been a major blow for the Chennai-based franchise, as they have to form a brand new opening pair.

Fragile Bowling Attack With Matheesha Pathirana's Injury

Even though CSK don’t have a big name in their bowling unit, unlike the majority of the franchises, a few of them are more than useful when it comes to performing in certain phases of the innings. Matheesha Pathirana is one such individual who takes care of the majority of death overs and restricts the run flow with a flurry of wickets.

Unfortunately, Pathirana injured his hamstring during Sri Lanka’s recent T20I match in Bangladesh, adding more trouble to the Yellow Army’s camp.

Rahane's Woes; Chahar's Recent Struggles In Powerplay

Ajinkya Rahane, who played a pivotal role in CSK’s IPL 2023 success, had a disastrous season in the Ranji Trophy 2024. Another pivotal cog, Deepak Chahar, is not at his good-old best either. If CSK want to defeat RCB, they have to take wickets in the Powerplay.

However, it is unlikely to happen, as Chahar, their leader with the new ball, has not been performing well as he used to earlier.