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In cricket’s shortest format, the travel from anticipation to despair is often a freefall. Chennai Super Kings are the latest squad to acquisition this.
The enthusiasm and joyousness that accompanied Sanju Samson’s expansive arrival, and the genuine anticipation of faring amended than the wooden-spoon decorativeness successful 2025, person dissipated into bladed air.
In the clip since Royal Challengers Bengaluru won its IPL opener successful rousing manner — by six wickets implicit Sunrisers Hyderabad a week agone — CSK has played doubly and mislaid twice.
Sunday’s (April 5, 2026) clash betwixt the 2 teams astatine the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium doesn’t consciousness similar a conflict among equals.
RCB is well-rounded and appears primed for its title-defence. Virat Kohli made an unbeaten 38-ball 69 against SRH portion Devdutt Padikkal smashed a 26-ball 61.
The lone concern, astir Josh Hazlewood’s fitness, is besides connected the backburner aft New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy’s match-winning effort (three for 22) connected the opening night.
Hazlewood bowled successful the nets connected Friday (April 3, 2026), and was seen walking on the bound ropes connected match-eve. In Saturday’s (April 5, 2026) property conference, Jitesh Sharma was tight-lipped astir the Aussie’s availability, treating it similar a State secret. It is not thing RCB volition sweat over, astatine slightest for this contest.
For CSK, isolated from the lack of its talismanic person M.S. Dhoni and a deficiency of wound successful its bowling, the non-availability of dashing batter Dewald Brevis has hamstrung the outfit.
The South African practised up of the erstwhile fixture against Punjab Kings, but it remains to beryllium seen if helium takes the tract versus RCB.
CSK needs a spark, and 1 wonders wherever it volition travel from. Will the tiny boundaries of Chinnaswamy unshackle its batters? Will the imaginable ignominy of losing a 4th consecutive clip to RCB aftermath the squad up?
The Garden City, though, is successful the midst of a Chennai-like sultry spell, with an extracurricular accidental of immoderate rain. Will CSK consciousness astatine home?
