The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to get underway at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) slated to take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2024 Opening match. Amid all the excitement for the start of a new season, let us have a look at what happened the last time these two teams faced each other in the opening clash of the cash-rich league.
Notably, this is not the first time CSK vs RCB at Chennai will mark the opening clash of the season. Previously, these two teams had squared off in the curtain raiser of the 2019 edition of the tournament. MS Dhoni was still at the helm of affairs for CSK in that match and won the toss, choosing to field first against RCB who were led by Virat Kohli. The Men in Yellow then managed to bowl RCB out for 70 in 17.1 overs with Harbhajan Singh shining for CSK with Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja also chipping in with vital contributions.
After bowling RCB out for 70, it wasn't a walk in the park for CSK too who managed to get to their target in 18 overs but bagged a 7-wicket victory with Harbhajan Singh being adjudged the Player of the Match.
CSK Dominate CSK vs RCB IPL Rivalry
In the CSK vs RCB rivalry, it is the Chennai Super Kings who are way ahead of their opposition. Overall, these two teams have squared off on 31 occasions with CSK coming out on top in 21 matches. When it comes to the head-to-head record in Chennai, CSK's record gets even better with seven out of eight wins. Bangalore have only managed a solitary win over CSK in Chennai which came in the inaugural edition of the competition in 2008.
With Dhoni no longer the CSK skipper and the 'B' in RCB now standing for Bengaluru, the IPL 2024 opener will be a new chapter in the CSK vs RCB IPL opener.