Setting mood for RCB vs CSK: Virat Kohli vs MS Dhoni, one last time? Bengaluru’s loyalty to be tested

 

RCB fans have been firmly behind their franchise, but Dhoni’s presence could shake loyalties in their must-win game against CSK.

A month ago, Royal Challengers Bengaluru looked buried. But they have been reborn like the mythical phoenix. With Virat Kohli giving them wings to fly, they have scripted a stunning turnaround to inch quietly to the play-offs, which looked like a farfetched dream in the middle of April.

Win their last league match on Saturday, all those criticisms about the strike-rates and lack of frontline spinners and a toothless attack would be forgotten. A meme material for much of this season, they have an opportunity to enter the banter room. Muted just four weeks into the IPL, the chants “Ee saala cup namde” are beginning to be heard again slowly.

Like Chepauk, Chinnaswamy Stadium could intimidate the opposition in what is virtually a knockout game for both teams. The crowd could get firmly behind their team. The decibel levels could even surpass that of Chepauk. And for their biggest game of the season, when RCB need their 12th man to be firmly on their side. But all things point to a divided house on Saturday evening.