Indian Premier League 2019 Match 39, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings: Preview, likely XIs, predictions

IPL 2019 had started in anticlimactic fashion, at Chepauk. Chennai Super Kings – especially their spinners – bowled out Royal Challengers Bangalore for 70 and chased down the target easily. Thirty-eight matches and almost a month later, Bangalore will take field at Chinnaswamy to avenge that humiliation.

Chennai have won 7 of their 9 matches and lost 2. For Bangalore, it has been exactly the other way round. However, Bangalore may take some solace from the fact that they won their last match, against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, despite the absence of AB de Villiers.

Chennai, on the other hand, lost their last, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, though they were without MS Dhoni.

But Chennai have been the team of the tournament. Their bowlers – even the replacements – have both struck and cut down runs. Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh have all been magnificent. Dhoni has been magnificent with bat, and since his selection, Faf du Plessis has provided solidity at the top.

Bangalore’s biggest problem has been their inability to deliver as a unit. Virat Kohli, de Villiers, Moeen Ali, Parthiv Patel, and Yuzvendra Chahal, and of late Marcus Stoinis, have impressed, but there have been too many underperformers in the team.

Head to head

Nothing favours Bangalore in this contest. Not only do Chennai hold a 15-7 advantage, they have also not lost a match against Bangalore since 2014.

Tahir (4-1-9-3), Harbhajan (4-0-20-3), Jadeja (4-1-15-2), and Chahar (4-0-17-0) bowled out Bangalore for 70, in 17.1 overs, in the tournament opener. Chennai took their time (17.4 overs), but won by 7 wickets in the end.

Key players

Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore): The king is back. Kohli has been among runs throughout the tournament, but that one defining innings has been eluding him till Friday night. His 58-ball 100 against Kolkata Knight Riders has brought him back in contention for the Orange Cap – and has helped him reestablish his stature in the tournament.

Imran Tahir (Chennai Super Kings): Even at 39 Tahir refuses to age, whether it comes to taking wickets (15, just behind Kagiso Rabada), restricting batsmen (5.67 an over), or sprinting half a mile or so after every wicket. He has been the outstanding bowlers in Chennai’s matchless troupe.

Likely XIs

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Parthiv Patel (wk), Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers (wk), Moeen Ali, Marcus Stoinis, Akshdeep Nath (wk), Pawan Negi, Dale Steyn, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini.

Chennai Super Kings: Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Imran Tahir, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.

Prediction

Chennai to win. After all, they have lost only twice in nine attempts; Bangalore have won twice.