Do-or-die as Royal Challengers Bangalore host rampaging Chennai Super Kings

On paper, Royal Challengers Bangalore always look formidable. It is performance, which lets them down.
(From left) CSK’s Mitchell Santner, skipper MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh take a breather during practice at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday | twitter
(From left) CSK’s Mitchell Santner, skipper MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh take a breather during practice at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday | twitter

BENGALURU: On paper, Royal Challengers Bangalore always look formidable. It is performance, which lets them down. Poor bowling, inconsistent batting and lacklustre fielding led to six losses in the first six games this season. Skipper Virat Kohli cut a sorry figure after the sixth (against Delhi Capitals last week), and said, ‘There is nothing more to say to the team’.

Those words seem to have worked, with Bangalore winning two of their last three games. They have showed greater intensity, and need to maintain that against Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.It may be a case of two teams in contrasting position — Bangalore are last and Chennai first — but this fixture, irrespective of the table, brings it own rivalry. Besides being two popular teams, it is the big derby, with two Southern cities going head-to-head. Tickets, expectedly, are sold out.

It is another must-win game for Kohli’s men, whose playoff hopes are hanging by a thin thread. Another loss and they are out of contention. History is also against the home team. Chennai have defeated Bangalore in seven straight games.

Can Bangalore turn things around? They can. Kohli, AB De Villiers, who is uncertain after missing the last game due to concussion, and Moeen Ali have looked good with the bat and Dale Steyn’s experience will come in handy in bowling.

“When you are playing a team that has Kohli, De Villiers, (Marcus) Stoinis, Steyn, Moeen, you are always in for a fight. So playing Bangalore in Bangalore is a tough challenge. We have got to try and create some pressure on their key players and be better than we were the last game. We went away from what we have done well and we got taught a lesson. So it was timely, and hopefully we respond well,” said Chennai coach Stephen Fleming, whose team lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last match without MS Dhoni.

It remains to be seen if the skipper, who had back spasms, will be fit. The same goes for Dwayne Bravo, who had suffered a hamstring injury couple of weeks ago. Both attended practice on Saturday. “We will see how they scrub up at the end of training,” said Fleming. Chennai have good bench strength. Although Dhoni cannot be replaced easily, they have the likes of Shane Watson, Suresh Raina and Kedar Jadhav. Deepak Chahar and Imran Tahir have been impressive too. “Tahir’s been our chief wicket-taker. His discipline and ability to deliver what we want has been outstanding.”

Southern pride
Virat Kohli and Co will have a big task at hand when they face off against MS Dhoni’s men...

Will Bravo play?
Needing a win to eliminate possibilities of not securing progress, Chennai are expecting Dwyane Bravo to return. The Trinidadian has been out with a hamstring injury since the fourth match. Not that the team has missed him, but he would be wanted as they start getting ready for the business end. It’s not sure whether MS Dhoni will return either, after having opted of the previous match to take rest.

Another knockout

Each game is a knockout test for Bangalore and they should be happy that Chennai don’t have such compulsions. The win in Kolkata has given them a lifeline, but they continue to be a two-man team in batting. Against an opposition firing in all departments, they need contributions from everybody. Even after making 213 at Eden, they gave KKR a chance. They need to be more clinical come Sunday.

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