The 18th game of the tournament will see the Royal Challengers Bangalore face the Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. The Royal Challengers have won three out of their four games, whereas the Chennai Super Kings would have also won three in four had they not choked in the previous game against Punjab.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore have been on a roll. After losing their first game to the Kolkata Knight Riders, they have managed to scythe through most of their opposition, and that has included the likes of Rajasthan, Punjab and Mumbai, with some good bowling. Vinay Kumar was the star of the previous game when he went on to capture three wickets in one over, including that of Sachin Tendulkar, and that meant that the Mumbai Indians scored only 140 odd. Previously, the others have been doing well as well, with Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis chipping in with the ball too.

Of course, one cannot that they are mainly dependent on their one main batsman for the kind of batting that they have been dishing out and that is Jacques Kallis. Kallis has been in such a supreme touch ever since he got that huge century against the Indian side in the three ODI series that he has not looked back. In the four games that he has played in this tournament so far, he has not been dismissed yet, and the calmness that he brings about himself has almost rubbed on to the rest of the side.

This is the one factor that the Chennai bowlers will need to look to get rid of, and quickly. They cannot afford for Kallis to stick for too long, because, then that would mean that the rest of the Bangalore side would be able to get all the runs as needed.

For Chennai, there could be good news. Apparently, M.S. Dhoni has been deemed fit and will join the side, and also take over the reigns as a captain. So far, Suresh Raina has been doing a decent job, and their win against Delhi was a testimony to his leadership qualities, but for now, the Super Kings could do with the likes of Dhoni.

One gets the sense that it is not only his batting, but a sense of the fact that he is present in the middle that rubs on to the rest of the batsmen in much as the same manner as the presence of Kallis does.

Tag :- Chennai Super Kings   Dale Steyn   Jacques Kallis   Royal Challengers Bangalore   Suresh Raina   Vinay Kumar