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Rajat Patidar's Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are gearing up for what looks like their most challenging fixture yet in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, a clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Chepauk stadium. A big hurdle for RCB will be facing CSK's star spinner Noor Ahmad, who is expected to get considerable assistance from the Chennai pitch. His performance in the previous match against Mumbai Indians where he took a brilliant four-fer in his team's winning cause.
RCB batters face Noor Ahmad-like spinner to counter spin challenge in clash against CSk
However, RCB are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations to effectively counter Noor Ahmad's spin threat, and they've got a bit of a secret weapon up their sleeve during their practice sessions. One of their net bowlers, Satvik Deswal, who also happens to be a chinaman bowler (a left-arm unorthodox spinner), was seen bowling extensively to RCB's key batters in nets ahead of the key clash. This is a strategic move to help them get accustomed to the unique angle and trajectory that a chinaman bowler offers.
A video recently surfaced on X (formerly Twitter), shared by a user, showing Satvik bowling to Phil Salt during a practice session leading up to the CSK game.
A known area of vulnerability for many RCB batters is facing quality spin bowling, especially on surfaces like those found in Chennai. The pitches at Chepauk tend to offer grip and extra turn, and while RCB's batters are naturally inclined to play attacking shots, they can be susceptible to being tied down and eventually dismissed by sustained spells of spin. By facing Satvik's bowling in the nets, RCB batters will get a better understanding of what to expect when Noor Ahmad has the ball during the actual game. While Satvik might not be at exactly the same skill level as Noor, his bowling will still be incredibly useful in preparing RCB for what promises to be a significant spin challenge.
Both the CSK and RCB have kicked off their IPL 2025 campaigns on a winning note, which really sets the scene for a highly anticipated and intense showdown in Chennai. RCB head into this match after a dominant win over Kolkata Knight Riders, while CSK also started strong by outperforming Mumbai Indians in their season openers.
CSK vs RCB's Head-to-Head record in IPL
As far as their head-to-head record in IPL is concerned, RCB and CSK have clashed each other 33 times. While RCB have won in 11 matches, CSK have emerged victorious in 21 encounters. Notably, one match ended without a result.
