CSK vs RCB, IPL 2024 Match 1: Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik Fireworks In Vain As Defending Champions Make Winning Start

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have made a winning start to their IPL 2024 campaign, beating the Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 6 wickets, successfully chasing 174. The Super Kings made a promising start to their run-chase, but Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja took their side over the line BY 6 wickets despite finding themselves in a spot of bother briefly.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru staged a brilliant recovery after a top-order collapse to post 173 for 6 in 20 overs after captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bat first against defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram stadium.

Lower middle-order batters Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik stitched a 6th-wicket partnership worth 95 runs to help the team recover from 78 for 5 to reach the respectable total at Chepauk.

Rawat top-scored with 48 while Karthik remained unbeaten on 38 after CSK pacer Mustafizur Rahman bagged a 4-wicket haul.

RCB win the toss

The toss had been delayed to 7.40pm even though the captains have been out and ready. The start time stays at 8pm.

A dazzling opening ceremony took place at the ground before the toss with Akshay Kumar, AR Rahman, Tiger Shroff and Sonu Nigam entertaining the packed stadium.

"Generally it is always a bat-first wicket," says du Plessis, who knows the ground well as a former CSK player.

Notably, RCB hasn't won a game against CSK at this Chepauk venue since 2009.

Gaikwad reacts to CSK's shift in leadership

Meanwhile, Gaikwad revealed at the toss that Dhoni had hinted to his teammates about giving up captaincy last season itself.

"Feel privledged. But I want to try and be in my shoes, not fill anybody's shoes. (On captaincy) I got to know last week, but Mahi bhai hinted at it last year," Gaikwad said after losing the toss.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru F du Plessis*, V Kohli, RM Patidar, GJ Maxwell, C Green, KD Karthik†, Anuj Rawat, KV Sharma, AS Joseph, MJ Dagar, Mohammed Siraj. Impact Player: Yash Dayal

Chennai Super Kings RD Gaikwad*, R Ravindra, AM Rahane, DJ Mitchell, RA Jadeja, Sameer Rizvi, MS Dhoni†, DL Chahar, M Theekshana, TU Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman.