IPL 2019, Match 1 - Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Toss Report 1
Credits: BCCI

Chennai Super Kings won the toss and decided to  bowl first against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first match of 2019 Indian Premier League at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

Here is what the captains said:

Virat Kohli:

We would have bowled too. There was lot of dew in the last few days. I will open the innings today with Parthiv Patel. Our four foreign players are ABD, Hetmyer, Moeen Ali and CDG.

MS Dhoni:

We will bowl first. We are not sure about the wicket. It is first game of the tournament so we are not sure of the target to set

 

Preview:

The first game of the twelfth edition of the IPL has put two of India’s most beloved and successful cricketers – MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli – face to face. Both the teams will enter the contest on the back of completely contrasting fortunes in the entire league history as well as the past season. While the Super Kings are one of the most successful teams in the league, having won the league thrice including last season, the Royal Challengers are yet to end their trophy-duck.

The head-to-head numbers are also heavily in favour of the defending champions. In 22 meetings between the two teams so far, the Super Kings have won 14 while the Royal Challengers have won just 7. In fact, the Bangalore-based franchise’s first and only win till date at the Chepauk came in the inaugural season.

But keeping the numbers apart, both the teams have quite a number of players who can take the game away from the opposition in a blink of an eye. The game has every ingredient to become a blockbuster of a clash and the fans will be hoping that the much-awaited clash live up to its expectations.

Teams:

Royal Challengers Bangalore (Playing XI): Parthiv Patel(w), Virat Kohli(c), Moeen Ali, AB de Villiers, Shimron Hetmyer, Shivam Dube, Colin de Grandhomme, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Ambati Rayudu, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni(w/c), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir