RCB finish on 250/3 (Image: Internet)
Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru reached a massive 250 in their innings, posting the highest total of the IPL 2026 season so far. After a cautious start, RCB recovered with key contributions from Phil Salt and Devdutt Padikkal, who rebuilt the innings following early stability.
Padikkal’s disciplined knock ended after a half-century, but Tim David then took charge, smashing eight sixes to keep the scoreboard ticking. Rajat Patidar provided solid support, rotating strike and capitalising on the easing pitch conditions.
Chennai Super Kings, chasing 251 at a required run rate of 12.55 per over, now face a daunting task. Having opted to bowl first after winning the toss, CSK will need to counter both RCB’s batting depth and the challenging pitch conditions.
RCB came into the match after a dominant win against Sunrisers Hyderabad, showing balance in both batting and bowling. Jacob Duffy and Romario Shepherd picked three wickets each to restrict SRH to 201, while Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli led a comfortable chase in the opening game.
CSK, meanwhile, are looking to rebound after two consecutive defeats. Despite posting 209 in their previous match, they failed to defend it, exposing weaknesses in their bowling unit. Avoiding a third straight loss has become a priority for the defending champions.
Matches between RCB and CSK are always high-intensity affairs. Kohli has noted the unique atmosphere in Bengaluru, where CSK fans mix with home supporters, creating noise, banter, and competitive energy. RCB vice-captain Jitesh Sharma emphasized focusing on team preparation rather than opposition records.
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Chennai Super Kings Squad: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Rahul Chahar, Matthew Short, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, MS Dhoni, Shreyas Gopal, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Urvil Patel, Aman Khan, Dewald Brevis, Zakary Foulkes
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Rasikh Salam Dar, Kanishk Chouhan, Venkatesh Iyer, Josh Hazlewood, Mangesh Yadav, Vihaan Malhotra, Vicky Ostwal, Jordan Cox, Swapnil Singh, Satvik Deswal
