‘Virat Kohli in the opposition always fires us up’: Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 clash

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is undoubtedly feeling the pressure of facing Virat Kohli in the IPL. (Image: AFP)

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is undoubtedly feeling the pressure of facing Virat Kohli in the IPL.

Gaikwad made the observation that any game instantly becomes a major clash when Kohli is on the field.

Speaking on JioStar's 'Star Nahi Far' campaign, Gaikwad expressed his excitement for the upcoming CSK vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match, with Rajat Patidar leading the RCB.

"Really looking forward to playing against RCB, especially with Rajat (Patidar) as the new captain. Immediately when they announced Rajat as the captain, I messaged him and wished him good luck. We have been friends for a while now, we know each other really well, and obviously, RCB has been one of the strongest teams," Ruturaj said.

As the highly anticipated match at the Chepauk on Friday, March 28, 2025, between CSK and RCB approaches, Ruturaj Gaikwad is cognizant of Virat Kohli's impact.

"They (RCB) have done really well every year now. And whenever Virat Kohli is in the opposition, whenever he is playing, it is always a clash to look forward to. He's been doing it for a really long time now, consistently for RCB and for the country as well. So, it is always a great match, and after Mumbai Indians, this is the second match we always look forward to," Gaikwad added.

With its rich history and present form, the forthcoming match between RCB and CSK at Chepauk is more than just another game.

With just one victory in all of their IPL matches played at Chepauk, back in 2008, the Bengaluru franchise has a really poor record at the venue.

CSK will surely be looking to take advantage of any flaws RCB may have against the turning ball, as the pitch conditions at Chepauk tend to favor spin bowling.

This time around, CSK's spin assault appears especially potent with the return of the seasoned Ravichandran Ashwin, the dependable Ravindra Jadeja, and the gifted Noor Ahmad.

CSK’s recent victory over the Mumbai Indians, in which they brilliantly held a formidable batting line-up to only 70 runs for five wickets in 11 overs, truly demonstrated their dominance.

Virat Kohli's performance against spin will be a key factor to observe if RCB is to have a chance. With the addition of shots like sweeps and slog sweeps, he has recently demonstrated notable improvement in his game against spin. But CSK's spin division will put Kohli to the test.

Other important batters including Phil Salt, Krunal Pandya, and Tim David will be crucial to RCB's ability to reach a competitive total in addition to Kohli.