5 players to watch out for in the CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 match

It is now time for a blockbuster encounter in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season as arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be taking on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on 28 March, 2025 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Their rivalry struck the eyeballs especially after the intense game between these two sides in the league stage of IPL 2024, where Royal Challengers Bangalore got the better of the five-time champions and this match made it a bigger battle for the upcoming years. Interestingly, both RCB and CSK ended up winning their respective opening matches at the start of IPL 2025. In this blog post, check out the top five players to watch out for in the CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 match. 

Top five contenders to watch out for in the CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 match

1. Ruturaj Gaikwad

Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was definitely the game changer in the previous win against Mumbai Indians (MI) when his team lost an early wicket in the run-chase. While batting at the number three position, the right-hander smashed an impressive knock of 53 runs off only 26 balls that included 6 fours and 3 sixes. This innings should have boosted his confidence to a great extent and will benefit him during remainder of the IPL 2025 season. The CSK captain went on to score a total of 583 runs from 14 matches in IPL 2024 at a strike-rate of 141.16 that included 4 fifties and 1 century. The right-hander won the Orange Cap in CSK's sensational triumph during IPL 2021 having finished as the highest run-scorer with an impressive tally of 635 runs in 16 games that consisted of four half-centuries and one hundred. 

2. Virat Kohli

After finishing as the leading run-getter in the Indian Premier League 2024 season, Virat Kohli continued his brilliant form this year as well during their first game against Kolkata Knight Riders. While chasing a target of 177 runs, the right-handed senior RCB opener played an excellent unbeaten innings of 59 runs off just 36 balls that consisted of 4 fours and 3 sixes. He also stitched an explosive opening partnership of 95 runs in just 8.3 overs alongside Phil Salt. Kohli finished as the leading run-getter in the previous edition of the IPL where he smashed a brilliant tally of 741 runs from 15 games at an impressive average of more than 61 that included five half-centuries and one hundred. 

3. Phil Salt

Things have not worked out very well for Phil Salt in the recent few months at the international level while representing England in white-ball cricket. However, after watching his sensational batting against his former IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, nobody can doubt his abilities. In his debut match for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2025, Salt notched up a blistering innings of 56 runs off only 31 deliveries that included 9 fours and 2 sixes. Interestingly, even after scoring 435 runs from 14 games at a strike-rate of more than 182, the Kolkata Knight Riders decided not to retain the English cricketer ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. But good sense prevailed and RCB picked him at a price of INR 11.50 Crore. He will once again be a key player to watch out for in the Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match starting on Friday. 

4. Noor Ahmad

Chennai Super Kings found another match-winner in Noor Ahmad in their first match of IPL 2025 against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians. He ended up picking as many as four wickets while conceding a total of 18 runs in his quota of four overs. The left-arm wrist spinner was picked by the Chennai Super Kings at a mammoth price of INR 10 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction. While talking about Noor Ahmad IPL stats so far, the Afghan wrist spinner has taken a total of 28 wickets in 24 matches at a fine economy rate of 7.87. Noor is once again expected to play a crucial role on the Chennai pitch against the explosive RCB batting line-up. 

5. Krunal Pandya

Before the start of Indian Premier League 2025, many of the fans and experts raised a lot of questions over RCB's spin bowling attack. However, left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya has silenced the critics in the perfect manner. On a high-scoring Eden Gardens pitch, Krunal ended up delivering a stunning match-winning performance where he took as many as three vital wickets and gave away just 29 runs in his spell of four overs. He will again be an important player to watch out for in this CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 game.