Chennai Super Kings Playing 11 (CSK Playing XI) & Royal Challengers Bangalore Playing 11 (RCB Playing XI) for IPL 2024 1st match: Reigning champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will lock horns against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the first game of the IPL 2024. The highly-awaited match is scheduled to take place on Friday (March 22) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Under new captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK will be eyeing a positive start to the title defence in front of their fans in Chennai. Before the mouth-watering clash gets underway, we are taking a look at the team with which CSK and RCB can play the tournament opener. Here is the likely CSK Playing XI.
CSK Playing XI:
Openers: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C)
With Devon Conway sidelined due to an injury, CSK are set to have a new opening combination for IPL 2024. While Ruturaj Gaikwad will be one of the openers, Conway’s compatriot Rachin Ravindra will likely be the other opener. While Gaikwad is already one of the best openers in the IPL, Ravindra will be looking to hit the ground running in his maiden IPL season.
Middle-order and allrounders: Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja
Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, and Shivam Dube will form the team’s middle order while the likes of Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja are set to be the finishers. Rahane did well for CSK last year and will be looking to impress once again while the likes of Mitchell and Dube have been in good form in recent times.
Ali and Jadeja are also known for their finishing skills and will be looking to start the tournament on a good note. CSK will also depend on them for their spin bowling.
Wicketkeeper: MS Dhoni (wk)
MS Dhoni will continue to be the wicketkeeper of CSK for at least one more season. The CSK former skipper managed to face only 57 deliveries in the last IPL due to the knee injury and will be looking to contribute more with the bat this season.
Bowlers: Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Maheesh Theekshana
With Moeen and Jadeja already in the playing eleven, CSK are likely to field two pacers and only specialist spinner. While Maheesh Theekshana could be the only spinner in the team, Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar are likely to be the two pacers.
CSK squad:
MS Dhoni (WK), Moeen Ali, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Ruturaj Gaikwad(C), Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajay Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Mitchell Santner, Simarjeet Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Rachin Ravindra, Shardul Thakur, Daryl Mitchell, Sameer Rizvi, Mustafizur Rahman, Avanish Rao Aravelly.
Players injured: Devon Conway, Matheesha Pathirana.
RCB Playing XI
Openers: Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli
Du Plessis and Kohli will have to play a big role if RCB want to go all the way this season. Both the players had a good outing with the bat last season and will be eyeing another productive campaign this year. While du Plessis scored a staggering 730 runs last year including eight half-centuries, Kohli scored 639 runs with the help of two centuries and six half-centuries.
Middle-order and allrounder: Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Mahipal Lomror
Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green and Mahipal Lomror are likely to form RCB’s middle-order this year. Patidar, who scored 333 runs including a century in the playoffs in IPL 2022, missed the entire season last year due to an injury while Maxwell scored an impressive 400 runs.
Cameron Green played for Mumbai Indians last year and scored 452 runs including a century and two half-centuries. On the other hand, Lomror scored 135 runs and will be looking to score big this season. Maxwell and Green are also set to contribute with the ball as well.
Wicketkeeper: Dinesh Karthik
Veteran wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik will be the man behind the stumps. Karthik did not have the best of outings with the bat last year and will be looking to bounce back in IPL 2024. After scoring more than 300 runs in IPL 2022, he could manage a modest 140 runs in IPL 2023 and will be looking to make amends this year.
Bowlers: Karn Sharma, Mayank Dagar, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Siraj
With the conditions in Chennai known for favouring spinners, RCB are likely to opt for two spinners and two pacers. Karn Sharma and Mayank Dagar are likely to shoulder the responsibility of the spin department while Mohammed Siraj and Alzarri Joseph look set to be the fast-bowlers.
RCB squad:
Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan.