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IPL: Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Preview: Tips, Odds and Prediction

Date: March 28, 2025 Starting time: 19.30 local time Venue: M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Last meeting: Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs (May 18, 2024) In Match 8 of IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will meet on March 8 in Chennai. The excitement of Indian Premier League cricket betting is building, with fans comparing IPL betting sites to find the best odds. Read our in-depth preview before betting on the Indian Premier League.

Bruce Douglas
Bruce Douglas

Last Updated: 2025-03-25

Chad Nagel

6 minutes read

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Ruturaj Gaikwad of Chennai Super Kings

Ruturaj Gaikwad of Chennai Super Kings//Getty Images

After narrowly failing to make the playoffs last season, Chennai Super Kings would be aiming for early momentum in IPL 2025.

However, their second match of the campaign will come in the form of a Southern derby clash with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Having only missed out on the playoffs three times in history, CSK would also look to add to a growing tally of victories over RCB.

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability

Chennai Super Kings Favoured

  1. Home: 37/50 (1.74) - 57.5%

  2. Away: 109/100 (2.09) - 47.8%

  3. Odds courtesy of BetWinner - subject to change.

Head-to-Head Record

Last five meetings (Indian Premier League)

  1. May 18, 2024: Royal Challengers won by 27 runs

  2. March 22, 2024: Super Kings won by 6 wickets

  3. April 17, 2023: Super Kings won by 8 runs

  4. May 4, 2022: Royal Challengers won by 8 wickets

  5. April 12, 2022: Super Kings won by 23 runs

Chennai Super Kings: Current Squad

Key Players to Watch

  • MS Dhoni: Retained by his franchise as their talisman, Dhoni’s leadership is unparalleled for both his country and Chennai Super Kings. The wicketkeeper-batsman would especially be called on in pressure situations to deliver quick runs and cheeky boundaries.
  • Ruturaj Gaikwad: Gaikwad was handed the captaincy for this season thanks to his sterling recent form with CSK. As a top-order batsman, he will be expected to lead the batting attack and inspire his team with a strong foundation of runs.
  • Rachin Ravindra: After an outstanding campaign for runners-up New Zealand in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, Ravindra could capitalise and cement his place in the Chennai Super Kings squad, contributing with the bat and the ball.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Current Squad

Key Players to Watch

  • Virat Kohli: With a veteran presence and the batting prowess to back it up, Kohli is a key member of the RCB top-order and would be relied upon to deliver consistent performances and also steer the ship if the openers are dismissed too cheaply.
  • Josh Hazlewood: The Australian pace bowler has built a reputation for accuracy and wicket-taking, two elements Royal Challengers would prize. Expect Hazlewood to return to his old squad, determined to prove he still belongs in their attack.
  • Yash Dayal: Last season, Dayal picked up the crucial wicket of MS Dhoni as RCB claimed a win to advance to the qualifiers. The left-armer offers an angle change and pace, and will be given a chance to increase his wicket tally as the season progresses.

Predicted Line-ups

Chennai Super Kings

  1. Ruturaj Gaikwad (The newly-promoted captain will lead from the front)
  2. Rachin Ravindra (A New Zealand top-order batsman who also offers spin bowling)
  3. Rahul Tripathi (Will reunite with Dhoni to cement the top-order)
  4. Shivam Dube (An unorthodox all-rounder who scores quickly)
  5. Deepak Hooda (An all-rounder adept at batting and off-break bowling)
  6. Ravindra Jadeja (This veteran all-rounder is a key member of his squad)
  7. MS Dhoni (A veteran wicketkeeper-batsman and inspiring leader)
  8. Sam Curran (An English star who contributes with the bat and ball)
  9. Ravichandran Ashwin (A skilled spin bowler tasked with taking wickets)
  10. Noor Ahmad (This Afghani spin bowler would aim to slow down run-scoring)
  11. Matheesha Pathirana (This Sri Lankan pace bowler delivers speed and swing)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

  1. Phil Salt (The English opener will be expected to lay a solid foundation)
  2. Virat Kohli (A former RCB captain focused on his domestic exploits)
  3. Rajat Patidar (The newly-promoted captain will inspire his team)
  4. Liam Livingstone (An English all-rounder who contributes with the bat and ball)
  5. Jitesh Sharma (This wicketkeeper-batsman will be aiming to cement his place)
  6. Krunal Pandya (An all-rounder with experience in the middle order)
  7. Tim David (An Australian batsman good for bolstering the mid to late innings)
  8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (This pace bowler is a constant threat for the opposition)
  9. Josh Hazlewood (An Australian pace bowler with devastating accuracy)
  10. Yash Dayal (This fast bowler is already showing signs of brilliance)
  11. Suyash Sharma (A tricky spin bowler good at slowing the scoring rate)

Suggested Bets

If you enjoy betting on the Indian Premier League, here are some bets you can place at some of the top IPL betting sportsbooks:

  1. Total Runs in the Highest Scoring Over in Match - Over 19.5: Given the quality of both batting line-ups and their performance in the respective opening games, an over of above 19 runs seems likely (83/100 with BetWinner) (83/100 with Betandyou)

  2. Will a 4 Be Hit in Over 1 - Yes: After accounting for Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively, CSK and RCB are riding high and would be keen to flex their scoring abilities (3/5 with BetWinner) (3/5 with Betandyou)

  3. Team with Top Batter - Chennai Super Kings: With the home team favoured and fresh off a victory in their first game, odds have favoured Chennai Super Kings to have the top batting score in the game (3/4 with Betway)

Value Bets

If you are interested in bets on the Indian Premier League offering good returns on investment, check in with the best IPL betting sportsbooks:

  1. Total Even - Yes: The main scoring in T20 matches comes in the form of fours and sixes, with batsmen running hard between the wickets. The possibility of an even total would be intriguing (119/100 with Betandyou) (117/100 with BetWinner)

  2. Teams’ Results - Each Team to Score Over 59.5 Runs in First 6 Overs: Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are coming off impressive wins in their opening games, highlighting the quality of their batting line-ups (5/2 with BetWinner) (5/2 with Betandyou)

  3. Ruturaj Gaikwad to Score 50 - Yes: The CSK skipper reached a half-century during their win over Mumbai Indians and appears to be in good form. He could produce another 50 from the front (41/20 with Betway)

Prediction: Chennai Super Kings to Win

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings both have strong squads balancing experience with young talent. While CSK have the home-ground advantage, RCB would bank on their previous positive result over their Southern rivals.

IPL betting tips indicate that while these two juggernauts are evenly poised, Chennai Super Kings have the slight edge. Despite finishing fifth in last season’s IPL, CSK remain a significant threat if their top-order delivers early runs, their middle order builds on that base, and the bowling attack can take consistent wickets.

Bruce Douglas
Bruce DouglasSports Writer

Bruce Douglas has more than 12 years of experience in local news media. He has worked at all levels of print and online publication, from crime and politics to photography, newspaper layout, proofreading, mentoring, sub-editing, and leading a newsroom. He played numerous sports at the school level and enjoys keeping up to date.

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