Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings have won the toss and opted to bowl first against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL 2026 encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB is looking to secure their second consecutive win, while CSK aims to open their points account. Both teams are sticking with their unchanged playing elevens for this high-profile match.
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad expressed confidence in his team’s ability to restrict the opposition on what seems to be a high-scoring ground. He mentioned the importance of MS Dhoni’s return to form and the team’s improved batting performance in the last game. On the other side, RCB captain Rajat Patidar highlighted the team’s readiness to bat first on a fresh wicket, emphasizing the players’ clarity in their roles and high confidence levels.
In head-to-head encounters, CSK holds a 21-13 record against RCB overall, but at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB leads 6-5. The pitch report by Ian Bishop and Faf du Plessis noted the dimensions of the boundaries and suggested that early wickets with the new ball could be crucial, although spinners might also play a significant role.
The playing XIs for the match are as follows:
Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, and Khaleel Ahmed
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (captain), Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, and Jacob Duffy
