New captain, same outcome: CSK ace Royal challenge again

Chennai, March 22

Mustafizur Rahman set it up before Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube got the job done with their superlative finishing skills to script a six-wicket win for Chennai Super Kings over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL opener here today. CSK, who have not lost to RCB at home since 2008, thus kept their enviable record intact.

Mustafizur, with his best-ever IPL figures of 4/29 in four overs, was largely responsible for restricting RCB to 173/6 on a good batting track, where a 95-run sixth-wicket stand off 50 balls between Anuj Rawat (48 off 25 balls) and Dinesh Karthik (38 not out off 26 balls) was the visitors’ only saving grace.

Jadeja (25 not out off 17 balls) brought his experience to the fore just when things could have got trickier in the run chase, hurrying a rusty Dube (34 not out off 28 balls) into completing some quick doubles to complete the chase in 18.4 overs. Dube also grew in confidence in Jadeja’s company towards the end as he finished the chase in a jiffy.

8 This is the 8th consecutive win for CSK vs RCB at Chepauk, the longest winning streak for any team against an opponent at a venue in IPL

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Credit should also be given to Rachin Ravindra (37 off 15 balls), who teed off in brilliant fashion with three sixes and as many boundaries.

“Total control right from the start. Two-three overs here and there but once the spinners came on, we were in control,” CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said. “I have always enjoyed it (captaincy). Haven’t felt the additional pressure, right from the state side,” he added.

Brief scores: RCB: 173/6 in 20 overs (Rawat 48, Karthik 38*; Rahman 4/29); CSK: 176/4 in 18.4 overs (Ravindra 37, Dube 34*, Rahane 27; Green 2/27).