Inspired by skipper Patidar, RCB deal CSK a major blow

Never before in IPL have the Chennai Super Kings lost by 50 runs at home

- Dhiman Sarkar

KOLKATA: Their record at Eden Gardens, a venue where they had once been dismissed for 49, was iffy but Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had won there on Saturday.

In some style too. RCB's record at Chepauk is worse; they had lost eight of their last nine matches, their only win coming in 2008. On Friday, RCB won there too continuing their trend of beating former champions at home. There is a long way to go in IPL 18 but will this be RCB's year?

For the second time in as many matches, Josh Hazlewood tasted success in his first over. This time, the big Australian quick did one better, get two. Hazlewood banged the ball in—the only time you can do that in Chennai and hope to not suffer is at the start—and Rahul Tripathi and Ruturaj Gaikwad were back in the shade six balls into CSK's chase of 197.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar then continued the trend of oldies showing there is life in them yet by ruining Deepak Hooda's evening. It was Hooda's dropped catch off RCB skipper Rajat Patidar that helped the visitors get to 196/7 and win by 50 runs. Never before in IPL have CSK lost by that many at home.