AB de Villiers shared his thoughts on Virat Kohli’s mindset ahead of the clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025. AB de Villiers said that Kohli would be highly motivated for the match, as he will be facing his close friend and former teammate MS Dhoni.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru started their IPL 2025 campaign with a seven-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens. They will take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Match 8 of the tournament at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday, March 28. CSK began their season with a four-wicket win.
Virat Kohli Will Be Very Fired Up, Says AB de Villiers Ahead of CSK vs RCB Clash
In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), a fan asked AB de Villiers about Virat Kohli and the upcoming match. In response, de Villiers stated that Kohli would be highly motivated for the contest. He also said that the match is a valuable opportunity for RCB to gain an early advantage in the tournament.
“What I can tell you is he (Virat Kohli) will be very fired up. He will be playing against his big friend and teammate MS Dhoni, as we see that picture of the two of them there. Virat will identify this as a very big game and a great opportunity for RCB to get ahead of the field,” he said.
It’s #CSKvsRCB and many of you asked about it in this week’s #360LIVE.
It’s a big game, and you know which side I’ll be cheering for 😎♥️ pic.twitter.com/S6qrMlWKnO
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) March 28, 2025
MS Dhoni remained not out without scoring after facing two deliveries in the previous match. He executed a lightning-quick stumping to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav off the bowling of Noor Ahmad.
Virat Kohli’s Impressive IPL Record Against Chennai Super Kings
Virat Kohli has an impressive record against Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, having scored over 1,000 runs against them, including nine half-centuries. He will be a key player for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their upcoming clash, as he can anchor the innings while maintaining a solid scoring rate.
Kohli scored an unbeaten 59 off 36 balls in RCB’s opening game against Kolkata Knight Riders. He smashed four boundaries and three sixes in RCB’s comfortable seven-wicket victory while chasing 175 at Eden Gardens.
CSK’s spin attack, consisting of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Noor Ahmad, is expected to challenge the 36-year-old batter on a spin-friendly surface. Noor was the best bowler for CSK in their win over the Mumbai Indians.
Can RCB Finally End Their Winless Streak in Chennai?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have struggled to defeat Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk, with their last and only win at the venue coming in 2008. The Super Kings also dominate the overall head-to-head record with a 21-11 lead in IPL meetings, including an 8-1 advantage in matches played at Chepauk.
However, RCB can draw confidence from their previous clash in IPL 2024, where they secured a crucial 27-run victory in Bengaluru. That win helped them qualify for the playoffs while eliminating the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team from the tournament. Both teams have kicked off their 2025 campaigns on a strong note.
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