At M Chinnaswamy Stadium, two big southern derbies will take place this Sunday: Royal Challengers Bangalore look to extend their momentum after beating Punjab Kings, while CSK are seeking their first win of 2026 to keep alive any hopes for making the playoffs. Fans can follow all the live updates and performances in the Chennai Super Kings Vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Match Scorecard.
Ruturaj Gaikwad opts to bowl first on this hard wicket that usually favours batsmen.
| Date | Venue | CSK Score | RCB Score | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 2025 | Bengaluru | 211/5 (20 ov) | 213/5 (20 ov) | RCB won | by 2 runs |
| Mar 28, 2025 | Chennai | 146/8 (20 ov) | 196/7 (20 ov) | RCB won | by 50 runs |
| May 18, 2024 | Bengaluru | 191/7 (20 ov) | 218/5 (20 ov) | RCB won | by 27 runs |
| Mar 22, 2024 | Chennai | 176/4 (18.4 ov) | 173/6 (20 ov) | CSK won | by 6 wickets |
| Apr 17, 2023 | Bengaluru | 226/6 (20 ov) | 218/8 (20 ov) | CSK won | by 8 runs |
RCB vs CSK
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will battle Chennai Super Kings in an IPL fixture known as the Southern Derby, an encounter which always proves thrilling.
CSK have held onto an edge in this rivalry; however, with two wins already under their belt RCB are hopeful that they can turn things around this season.
RCB started their season strong by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 26 runs in their inaugural match and are currently second in the points table. To maintain their winning ways against a CSK team that has lost both its games this year.
M Chinnaswamy Stadium tends to host high-scoring contests. Its short boundaries and quick outfield offer excellent batting conditions; any score over 210 should be competitive at this venue.
Dew could play an influential role during evening matches as early dewfall can occur between 14th-15th over, giving an edge to teams batting second at this venue.
CSK have found themselves struggling without Dhoni and are finding it hard to defend totals in recent games, such as their defeat at RR and Punjab Kings’ win in their home match of this season. While they possess enough talent for top four finish, consistency will be key this term if they wish to reach that status.
It would be difficult to identify any weaknesses in RCB’s playing squad, with their solid top order, solid middle and death bowling performances and impressive all-round ability.
But they must guard against becoming complacent in front of an excited home crowd, where Ayush Mhatre, Romario Shepherd and Shivam Dube could punish any sign of complacency from taking CSK lightly.
Without Josh Hazlewood and Dewald Brevis on hand tonight they lack depth when it comes to death bowling – an area which could prove crucial tonight.
The Indian Premier League continues to thrill fans across India this season, and Sunday’s RCB vs CSK match should not disappoint! Fans can tune into live coverage via Star Sports network in India or stream it via JioHotstar; kickoff is set for 7:30 PM IST.
Toss
M Chinnaswamy Stadium features a fast outfield and short boundaries, making defending totals challenging. However, batting second has sometimes proven successful if teams utilise bowling variety and sensible pacing to negate early disadvantage.
Furthermore, several games have seen chasing teams chase 200+ totals after losing the toss; further evidence that venue conditions rather than pure toss luck have more of an influence than pure luck alone on outcomes. Teams prepare data sheets on pitch wear/dew probability in support of captaincy decisions.
CSK vs RCB Live Score
RCB are currently on a three-game winning streak while CSK have lost both games recently and appear out of sorts. Tonight’s match promises to be an intriguing contest between these two rivals; with RCB hoping to turn back the tide against CSK and take back top spot from them; an win would also give their NRR an immediate boost.
M Chinnaswamy Stadium’s pitch is an absolute delight for batsmen and in their last match here RCB easily chased down Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 202-run target with ease.
Virat Kohli in particular has been hitting sixes frequently recently; on track to become the first IPL player ever to hit 300 sixes for one team!
However, the RCB bowlers must step up their game in both of their losses so far, especially given how vulnerable their new-ball bowlers have been against RR and PBKS new ball bowlers – particularly without Nathan Ellis on hand to replace him as they strive to reach victory in 2018.
CSK have had issues batting this season, with Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad struggling in the powerplay. But their spinners Priyansh Arya and Shreyas Iyer claiming wickets consistently. Unfortunately for CSK their new-ball bowlers have struggled for consistency against teams like Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (PKKS), both taking wickets consistently against them.
Rajat Patidar of RCB believes that bowling first is key in order to make life difficult for Chennai Super Kings batters, and suggests picking up early wickets early as crucial. Although he is pleased with their current play, they need to improve further in order to challenge for another title challenge – adding that their matches against Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians will be critical in doing this.
