CSK vs RCB 2019: Kohli and Dhoni lead records before IPL 2019 opening match

Kohli and Dhoni lead records before IPL 2019: The two captains have a stellar record against each other in the IPL.

With only a handful of days remaining for IPL 2019 to commence, all eyes are glaring towards the opening match slated to be played between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 23 at Chennai.

The South Indian derby is one of the most closely-fought competitions in the Indian Premier League. While the Head-to-Head statistics doubtlessly make Super Kings as the favourites, they wouldn’t want to take the opposition lightly especially because of the format.

Going by the past numbers of the two franchises and their players, one comes across the possibility of eminent players in CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, vice-captain Suresh Raina, RCB captain Virat Kohli and former South Africa captain AB de Villiers most likely to create an impact on Saturday.

RCB players vs CSK:

Most runs – Virat Kohli (732 runs in 22 matches) and AB de Villiers (443 runs in 20 matches)

Highest scores – Virat Kohli (73 in IPL 2014 and 70* in IPL 2011) and AB de Villiers (68 in IPL 2018)

Highest strike rate – AB de Villiers (165.91) and Virat Kohli (125.77)

Most half-centuries – Virat Kohli (6) and AB de Villiers (4)

Most wickets – Umesh Yadav (10 wickets in 12 matches) and Yuzvendra Chahal (eight wickets in seven matches)

Best figures – Yuzvendra Chahal (4-0-40-3 in IPL 2015)

Most wickets in a season – Yuzvendra Chahal (six wickets in three matches during IPL 2015)

Most wicket-keeping dismissals – Parthiv Patel (5 dismissals in 11 matches)

Most catches – AB de Villiers (10 catches in 20 matches) and Virat Kohli (eight catches in 22 matches)

CSK players vs RCB:

Most runs – MS Dhoni (710 runs in 25 matches) and Suresh Raina (642 runs in 26 matches)

Highest scores – Murali Vijay (95 in IPL 2011) and AB de Villiers (82 in IPL 2018)

Highest strike rate – Murali Vijay (143.27) and MS Dhoni (140.59)

Most half-centuries – Suresh Raina (4) and Murali Vijay and MS Dhoni (3)

Most wickets – Harbhajan Singh (20 wickets in 21 matches) and Ravindra Jadeja (16 wickets in 22 matches)

Best figures – Ashish Nehra (4-0-10-4 in IPL 2015)

Most wickets in a season – Ashish Nehra (10 wickets in three matches during IPL 2015)

Most wicket-keeping dismissals – MS Dhoni (17 dismissals in 25 matches)

Most catches – Suresh Raina (12 catches in 26 matches) and Ravindra Jadeja (10 catches in 22 matches)

Learning:

Batting – As mentioned above, Super Kings’ Dhoni and Raina and Royal Challengers’ Kohli and de Villiers have done well when played against each other in the IPL. It is highly unlikely that CSK will play opening batsman Murali Vijay in the starting eleven. Given his impressive record against RCB, you never know if he becomes the dark horse in the first match.

Bowling – Bangalore would be relieved to have the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Umesh Yadav in their current squad. With them appearing on top in the bowler’s list, those are signs to worry for the opposition especially because of their bowlers’ mediocre record against RCB in the IPL.

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