IPL 2025: RCB eye playoffs berth as Kohli-Dhoni saga takes centerstage

Bengaluru, May 2 (IANS) The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is no stranger to high-voltage encounters. But when Royal Challengers Bengaluru host Chennai Super Kings in Match 52 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 this Saturday, the contest could transcend the boundaries of qualification battles and team standings.

The enduring legacy of two Indian cricket icons — Virat Kohli and M.S. Dhoni — may be poised for one final chapter in Indian Premier League (IPL) folklore.

From an immediate perspective, RCB have a clear incentive: a win will take them to 16 points, nudging them ever closer to sealing a spot in the playoffs with three matches still in hand. For CSK, already ousted from the playoff race, the motivation lies in salvaging pride, avoiding the wooden spoon, and ending the season with a flourish.

But hovering above these stakes is the emotional and symbolic weight of the Kohli vs Dhoni narrative — perhaps for the last time on an IPL stage.

Kohli enters the clash in red-hot form, having struck four half-centuries in his last five outings, amassing 443 runs and climbing the Orange Cap leaderboard. His current purple patch has been the backbone of RCB’s late-season resurgence, and the franchise will once again look to him for another match-defining knock.

The good news for Bengaluru is the growing form of Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3, who has notched two consecutive fifties and is beginning to take some pressure off Kohli.

However, not everything is rosy in the RCB camp. Kohli’s opening partner, Phil Salt, has struggled for rhythm, forcing the former skipper to shoulder much of the early-innings workload.

Captain Rajat Patidar, too, is hunting for form, with his last meaningful contribution coming seven matches ago. Yet, against a CSK bowling attack that has underwhelmed barring pacer Khaleel Ahmed and spinner Noor Ahmad, there’s an opportunity for these names to rediscover their spark.

On the flip side, CSK’s campaign has been defined by inconsistency, particularly in their top order. Their batting has lacked cohesion, leaving too much on the shoulders of their seasoned finisher.

While Dhoni’s quickfire 30s have still drawn cheers from fans, their value has diminished due to the failure of the top order to lay a proper foundation. The likes of Ayush Mhatre, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis, and Sam Curran will need to step up if CSK are to mount a challenge against a disciplined RCB bowling unit comprising Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, and Suyash Sharma.

Dhoni, who has hinted that his participation in IPL 2026 would depend on his physical fitness, remains the heartbeat of the CSK side, even if his role is now that of a finisher and tactical leader.

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (capt) Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Liam Livingstone, Swapnil Singh, Manoj Bhandage, Rasikh Dar Salam, Nuwan Thushara, Jacob Bethell, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh.

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Shaik Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, Deepak Hooda, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana, Anshul Kamboj, R Ashwin, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, Shreyas Gopal, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, C Andre Siddarth, Vansh Bedi.

--IANS

hs/bsk/