IPL 2021 preview: RCB, CSK set for high-voltage top of the table clash

RCB has won all its four matches so far and sits on top of the standings while CSK has claimed three straight wins after losing the opener for the second spot in the points table.

Kohli and the highly-rated Devdutt Padikkal toyed with the Rajasthan Royals bowling the other day and will look to lay a strong foundation again for RCB against a varied CSK bowling attack.

The duel of the swords and the clang as the metals make contact will signify the intensity of the combat in this top-table IPL clash at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

Chennai Super Kings will have to find a way past the three musketeers - Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell - in its quest to breach Royal Challengers Bangalore’s fortress.

RCB is on a dream run. It has four wins in four games. And the second-placed CSK has been victorious in three out of four. Sparks are bound to fly in the day game.

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The surface at Wankhede has some pace and the ball does come on to the bat.

RCB is not about the Big Three alone. Young opener Devdutt Padikkal notched up a spectacular hundred against Rajasthan Royals.

There will be some seam movement and CSK’s lively Deepak Chahar will be a distinct threat. And Lungi Ngidi bowled with pace and venom against KKR.

Ravindra Jadeja is turning the ball across the bat’s face and can hurt line-ups.

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Chahar versus Kohli and Jadeja against de Villiers and Maxwell will be captivating face-offs.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is back among runs for CSK. And Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali have been stroking the ball with fluency.

CSK led bravely by M.S. Dhoni, whose parents are recovering from Covid-19, will be tested by Kyle Jamieson’s lift and movement and Washington Sundar’s parsimonious spin.

This should be an exciting ride.

Full Squads Chennai Super Kings: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c & wk), Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, KM Asif, Deepak Chahar, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, N Jagadeesan, Karn Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shardul Thakur, Sam Curran, R Sai Kishore, Moeen Ali, K Gowtham, Cheteshwar Pujra, Harishankar Reddy, Bhagath Varma, C Hari Nishaanth. Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (C), AB de Villiers (W), Adam Zampa, Devdutt Padikkal, Kane Richardson, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Pavan Deshpande, Shahbaz Ahmed, M S Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Daniel Sams, Harshal Patel, Glenn Maxwell, Sachin Baby, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Kyle Jamieson, Dan Christian, Suyash Prabhudessai, K S Bharat, Finn Allen.