Fantasy: Top-order batters key at Chinnaswamy

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Match 24 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. RCB go into this match at the back of an impressive victory over Delhi Capitals (DC), while CSK, on the other hand, succumbed to a three-run loss against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at home.

RCB have won just 10 of their 30 matches against CSK, while both sides have won four apiece at the Chinnaswamy. The last time these two sides met here was in 2019, when RCB went on to win by a solitary run, while CSK have tasted victories in the three meetings before that.

Ground details

The pacers have been at their dominant best, having picked up over 70% of the wickets to fall here this season. Unsurprisingly, they have a better runs per wicket (28.5) and balls per wicket (18.8) ratio compared to the spinners for whom the corresponding numbers are 38.7 and 24.6 respectively. The average score batting first this season is 192. 

The average first innings total here is 186, while the average winning score batting first is 174. Two of the four matches at Bengaluru has been won by the chasing team. With dew likely to come into play, the captain winning the toss is most likely to field first.

Suggested Team

While you could go for the above team, you can choose your team from Cricket.com's Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.

Suggested captains

For small league: Virat Kohli (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vice-capt)

For grand league: Glenn Maxwell (capt), Tushar Deshpande (vice-capt)

Stats that matter

Virat Kohli has been in terrific form in IPL 2023 and has scored fifties in all three matches at home. In fact, Kohli is one of just three players to have scored over 100 runs in the powerplay, doing so at a strike-rate of 141. Kohli simply loves pace on the ball, scoring at over 176 against them, but drops down to 112 against spinners. Regardless, the form he is in at the moment, you should certainly make the best of it.

92, 57, 40*, 8 - is what Ruturaj Gaikwad has managed in IPL 2023 so far. However, he still remains a key cog in the CSK top-order. He is among the top five run-getters as an opener in IPL since 2021, having accumulated 884 runs at a strike-rate of 135.8, which includes 10 50-plus scores in 34 innings. He is someone who can play a second-fiddle or go berserk right from the beginning - traits he has already shown this season. We could be in for another Rutu special on Monday.

Grand League Punts

Glenn Maxwell was finally among the runs against LSG, scoring 59 off just 29 deliveries, and followed that up with a useful 14-ball 24 in the next game. Maxwell, who returned to action following a long-term injury seems to have finally found some rhythm in his batting and in a ground like Chinnaswamy, he could be lethal.

CSK's leading wicket-taker in the IPL 2023 so far, Tushar Deshpande may have gone for plenty of runs, but there's little doubt that he is a genuine wicket-taker. Four of his seven wickets in IPL 2023 have come at the death, striking once every 9.5 deliveries. Only Mark Wood and Rashid Khan with five scalps apiece have more wickets at the death. 

Top Criclytics projection:

Probable XI:

RCB: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Wayne Parnell, Mohammed Siraj, Vijaykumar Vyshak

CSK: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Dwaine Pretorius/Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Singh