Royal Challengers Bengaluru aimed to end their 17-year winless streak under Rajat Patidar at Chepauk despite starting IPL 2025 with a victory says Shane Watson.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their IPL 2025 campaign on a strong note by defeating defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the season opener. However, their next challenge comes against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), where history will be against them. RCB have never beaten CSK at Chepauk since the inaugural IPL season in 2008. The Rajat Patidar-led side will look to break this 17-year jinx when they clash with CSK at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.
Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson, who played for both RCB and CSK in the IPL, believes RCB need to make tactical changes to counter CSK’s strengths.
“It’s going to be a huge challenge for RCB to go to Chepauk, especially given the quality of bowlers CSK have at their disposal. RCB will likely need to adjust their team composition to counter CSK’s strengths. But make no mistake — Chepauk is a fortress,” Watson said.
Watson highlighted CSK’s strength in their spin department, which was evident in their dominant win over Mumbai Indians last weekend. “CSK’s entire setup is built around excelling in Chennai. Just look at the three spinners who bowled brilliantly in their opening game against MI — Ashwin, Jadeja, and Noor Ahmad. They are going to be a real handful on that surface,” Watson said.
The former IPL star also praised Noor Ahmad’s performance in his first game for CSK, noting that his success will boost the team’s confidence. “Seeing Noor Ahmad make such an impact in his first game for CSK will only boost the team’s confidence, knowing they have another wicket-taking option,” he added.
Watson also reflected on Rajasthan Royals’ struggles in IPL 2025, pointing out their batting and bowling weaknesses. “The Rajasthan Royals batters struggled to find their timing and made a few execution errors, which prevented them from putting up a big total,” Watson said.
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He further emphasized how KKR’s quality spin attack made a significant difference in their recent victory over Rajasthan. “A major difference was the calibre and quality of KKR’s spin attack. Varun Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali bowled exceptionally well, whereas Rajasthan’s bowlers, particularly in the middle overs, lacked the potency we’ve seen from them in the past,” Watson said.
In their match against KKR, Rajasthan were restricted to 151/9 as Varun Chakravarthy and Moeen Ali bowled eight overs combined, conceding just 40 runs and taking four wickets. In response, KKR chased down the target comfortably in 17.3 overs, with Quinton de Kock anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 97 off 61 deliveries.
“This (lack of depth in bowling) made things a lot easier for Quinton de Kock — he was patient, waiting for loose deliveries, and didn’t take unnecessary risks. With his wide range of shots, he can accelerate quickly when he’s at his best,” Watson added.
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