IPL 2018, Match 35: Chennai Super Kings beat Royal Challengers Bangalore

Chennai Super Kings are virtually through to the Indian Premier League play-offs after a comprehensive six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, courtesy a superb bowling effort from the spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Harbhajan Singh.

While it was a collective bowling effort by CSK, Jadeja and Harbhajan conceded only 40 runs between them with prize scalps of Kohli and AB de Villiers in their kitty. 

For Virat Kohli, it is turning out to be yet another disappointing season as RCB once again stare at an imminent exit with only three wins from nine games.

Parthiv and Southee who ensured a 120-run plus total for the visiting team, none of the other batsmen could even reach double digits. Parthiv hit five boundaries and two sixes but he was guilty of not being able to rotate the strike as he time and again failed to read Ngidi's slower ones. He finally gave a return catch to Jadeja as he was not able to check his stroke. Mandeep Singh, on the other hand, tried to sweep and gave a catch in the deep.

With the ball not coming onto the bat, both Jadeja and Harbhajan also bowled slower through the air to make life more difficult for the batsmen. Tottering at 89 for 8, it was Southee who took it upon himself, adding 38 runs for the ninth wicket with Mohammed Siraj, whose contribution was a mere three runs.

Ambati Rayudu laid the foundation of a successful chase with 32 runs off 25 balls after the other opener Shane Watson was bowled by Umesh Yadav in the third over. Rayudu and Suresh Raina tried to bring the chase back on track with a 44-run stand before Yadav struck again, removing Raina in the ninth over.

RCB's sloppy fielding also contributed to their downfall. At 80 for 4 in the 13th over, CSK were in a spot of bother but Parthiv as usual was shoddy behind the stumps, dropping Dwayne Bravo (14 off 17 balls) off Murugan Ashwin.

On a tricky pitch, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (31 no off 23 balls) picked up Yuzvendra Chahal for some special treatment with three huge sixes as CSK knocked off the required runs in only 18 overs to move to 14 points from 10 games.