07:45 pm: That’s it from us for this game. CSK’s 6th consecutive win against RCB. And what a comeback from Ravindra Jadeja after the nightmare he had at the Eden Gardens. He’s of course the player of the match. It’s almost time for the second match of the day and the live blog for that game is here.

07:40 pm: MS Dhoni, finally, gets to praise his bowlers.... but not for long. Here’s a summary of what he had to say:

‘How the spinners bowled in the middle made the difference. I think we are slightly worried about the bowling situation. I think it was a difficult pitch for the spinners to bowl on, that’s why it was impressive to see how Jadeja and Harbhajan bowled. They bowled great areas after the pacers did well early on. We are still looking for the one person who will put his hand up and deliver at the death. That’s the reason for making changes. In the games we have played, none of them have showed they can deliver consistently.’

07:35 pm: Umesh Yadav gets the purple cap and dedicates it to his wife.

Post-match presentation underway...

07:30 pm: Virat Kohli is the losing captain once again. Here’s what he had to say:

“I think it was a close game of cricket. Had we taken our chances, it would have been a more difficult game for them. Two dropped catches in three balls doesn’t help. Obviously didn’t score enough. Six soft dismissals is rare to see in T20 cricket. We knew the pitch was going to be slow, it was difficult to score. Great sign for Indian cricket, to see Dhoni strike the ball so well. We have to pull our socks up, we have to be optimistic. I have a positive feeling about the games ahead.”

07:25 pm: Here’s how the last over went down.

17.1: Wide. as Chahal tries to catch Dhoni
17.1: Dot ball
17.2: SIX! Slog sweep over midwicket.
17.3: NO BALL. Dhoni beaten by a skidder, could have been LBW but Chahal has overstepped.
17.3: SIX! Free hit to Dhoni and he makes the most of it. Short ball, muscled over long off.
17.4: SIX! Another floater, slog sweep. Massive!
17.5: Single, Dhoni goes off strike. Job done from his side.
17.6: Single, Bravo scores the winning run.

END OF THE MATCH: After 18 overs, CSK 128/4 - DHONI, you legend!

Pressure? WHAT IS THAT? This is incredible from MS Dhoni. Absolutely incredible. Chahal, perhaps saved for the end by Kohli hoping to cash in on the pressure, concedes 21 runs and the match is done!

After 17 overs, CSK 106/4:

Good steady over by CdG to finish his spell, but RCB need more than good steady overs. Dhoni, Bravo deal in singles in that over.

After 16 overs, CSK 100/4

Oh dear. Is that the over that clinches it for CSK? Ashwin has bowled quite well in this match so far, comes on to bowl his third over and concedes 13 that takes the momentum back in Chennai’s over. Two rank short balls in that over, pulled by Bravo for six and cut by Dhoni for four.

Time-out: Another steady over from CdG. Just 9 runs from the last three overs. How costly will the two dropped catches prove for RCB? Chennai 89/4. (Bravo 4*, Dhoni 5*). They need another 39 runs from 30 balls.

After 14 overs, CSK 87/4

Oh, poor cricket by RCB. This is school-boy stuff. Bravo gets his second reprieve. Goes for his favourite inside out lofted cover drive off Ashwin but the extra spin on it means he doesn’t connect well. Chahal at deep cover puts it down. RCB can’t afford such misses, but yet, they keep happening.

After 13 overs, CSK 82/4 - are RCB back in this?

Now, De Grandhomme gets his first wicket of the day. It’s a soft dismissal. Shorey hits it straight to Mandeep at backward point.

CdG should have had another wicket too. Parthiv spills it behind the stumps. Bravo went for a big heave off a wide delivery. There’s an outside edge, but the keeper, standing up, can’t hold on. Bravo was batting on zero.

After 12 overs, CSK 80/3

There you go. M Ashwin comes on to bowl, strikes off his first delivery. Why not earlier, one wonders. Rayudu looks to cut a short-ish ball, but he edges it straight to short third man. He departs for 32. And it’s a good over, overall as well - just two wides off two googlies otherwise no run conceded as Dhoni struggles to get off the mark.

After 11 overs, CSK 78/2

Jadeja and Harbhajan did so well on this track. And yet Kohli has only used Chahal for two overs in the first 11 and no M Ashwin. Colin de Grandhomme comes on and concedes a boundary that keeps CSK well on track. Need 50 runs with 54 balls remaining.

After 10 overs, CSK 71/2

Dhruv Shorey comes on for a chance in the CSK middle order. Interesting call by Chennai. But Rayudu is in some form. If you thought Chennai might be under pressure a little bit after Raina’s wicket, Rayudu eases the nerves with a six over fine leg off Siraj.

After 8.4 overs, CSK 62/2 - Raina gone, time for a time-out

Raina holes out! Timely wicket for RCB and Kohli’s decision to stick with pace from one end pays off. Umesh gets the second wicket as well. It’s that man Southee with a fine catch at the long on boundary. Tips the ball over, skips over the rope to complete the catch the second time around. Raina departs for 25.

After 8 overs, CSK 58/1

Surprisingly, Siraj comes on to bowl the 7th over, given how well the spinners did for CSK, you’d think Chahal and Ashwin must be bowling now. Raina hits Siraj for a six over long on, a length ball is meat and fodder for Raina. Chahal comes on in the 8th over and bowls a short ball that Raina hits for four. RCB not helping themselves with the poor lengths they are bowling.

And an opportunity missed for RCB too as Raina has a run-out scare. Parthiv fails to collect the throw in from the deep. Raina puts in a dive and in safely in.

After 6 overs, CSK 42/1:

Well, that’s one way to go about making a statement. What an over for CSK! 16 runs leaked by Southee as Rayudu decides he doesn’t want to waste the final over of the powerplay. Picks up a slower ball and sends it soaring over midwicket for a six - that is sandwiched by two fours, one to midwicket and an off drive.

After 5 overs, CSK 26/1:

Southee and Umesh with two quiet overs on the trot as Kohli resorts to pace after just one over from Chahal. Rayudu, after that one six off Umesh in the 3rd over, has not tried to go big yet. Umesh testing Raina with the short-pitched stuff.

After 3 overs, CSK 18/1

Woof. A terrific delivery from Umesh. It’s full, it’s fast, it’s accurate, it lands on the crease. The batsman plays the wrong line, the bowler shatters the stumps. Kohli and Umesh overjoyed.

After 2 overs, CSK 9/0:

Maiden over! Now that’s a good way to start. Seeing the pitch aid spinners, Kohli brings on Chahal in the second over. Watson is cautious not to give his wicket away.

After 1 over, CSK 9/0:

If that over is any indication, this match is going to be over very soon. (Of course one over is not an indication, we know that). Southee starts with a rank loose ball, short and outside off, Watson eases it through point. A poor fielding effort in the deep by CdG makes it two fours in the over for Watson.

05;50 pm: Alright, we are all set for the run-chase... Rayudu is back opening the batting where he had so much success. Watson on strike. Southee with the ball in his hand.

Innings break: Is RCB’s season coming to an end? Or can they pull off a good bowling performance to stay alive?

End of innings: RCB finish with 127/9 in 20 overs

Siraj is the last man to be dismissed. Looks for a second run off the last ball, but falls short of his crease. It has been a clinical performance from the Chennai bowlers. Only two RCB batsmen got into double figures.

Break in play: Comedy of errors! Siraj, Southee in a mix up. The former slips and is set to be run-out. Lungi, though, is casual with his throw from short fine leg and is completely off the mark as it loops over Bravo at the non-striker’s. Gives Siraj enough time to jog back to the crease but he seems to have injured his groin here.

RCB 123/8 after 19 overs (Southee 33*)

Southee with a brilliant little cameo! Has moved on to 33* and is giving himself and his side something to bowl at. 11 runs from that over by Shardul - the highlight being a brilliant pick up shot over square leg for six. That made a sweet sound off the bat. Southee gets a reprieve too as an attempted scoop gets a leading edge, Ngidi at third man covers good ground but drops the catch while diving sideways, it’s a boundary.

After 18 overs, RCB 112/8

Well, where did that come from? Out of nowhere, a 13-run over. And it’s Bravo’s first of the match. Dhoni won’t be too pleased - with the fielding more than the bowling. Southee got a four off the first ball and a five off the last after an erratic throw from Ngidi.

After 17 overs, RCB 99/8

Well, some resistance finally and it’s Tim Southee who’s trying to add some respectability to the total. Moves into double figures with a streaky inside edge to fine leg for four. Only two RCB batsmen have made 10-plus so far!

After 16 overs, RCB 92/8

Another over, another RCB wicket. This time Umesh Yadav is run-out. Poor cricket, this, Hits to David Willey at mid-off and sets off for a tight run, David Willey with a superb pick-up and direct hit. He’s enjoying a good debut game.

CSK haven’t had to use Bravo at all so far.

After 15 overs, RCB 89/7

Getting from bad to worse for RCB. Colin de Grandhomme tries to take on the pacer given how well the spinners have bowled. But can’t connect off Willey. His maiden IPL wicket. De Grandhomme holes out, Raina takes an easy high catch.

After 14 overs, RCB 87/6

Wow. RCB are disintegrating here. The pitch has been taking turn. And RCB are being made to dance to their tunes by the Chennai bowlers. Harbhajan has M Ashwin stumped. The ball keeps low, and skids on just outside offstump. Ashwin is lunging forward and has lost balance. Dhoni once again dislodges the bails in the blink of an eye. The batsman had his foot on the crease. He appeared to have some part of the foot behind the st... no, third umpire says OUT!

Jadeja and Harbhajan have rattled RCB big time...

After 13 overs, RCB 85/5

It’s Jadeja again. Parthiv looks to play it to the leg side but gets a leading edge. The bowler completes a comfortable catch off his own bowling. Parthiv departs for 53.

4 overs, 1/39 vs KKR (and two sitters dropped)
4 overs, 3/18 vs RCB (including a ‘celebration’ to remember for a long time.)

What a turnaround for Ravindra Jadeja!

After 12 overs, RCB 81/4

The comeback-man, who looked rusty to start off, has suddenly become the most crucial player for RCB. Parthiv has played really well. Gets to the mark in 37 balls. Has stood strong despite the flurry of wickets at the other end. An excellent over otherwise from Harbhajan spoiled by a last-ball four by CdG.

After 11 overs, RCB 73/4 - Jadeja strikes again

He’s bouncing back from a poor performance in some style, is Jadeja. Mandeep Singh this time. No celebrations again from Jaddu - he’s making it a thing now, just so that the first instance doesn’t look odd? The batsman looks for a slog sweep, but hits it straight to deep square leg.

After 9 overs, RCB 61/3:

Who would have thought RCB would lose Kohli and ABD for a combined score of 9. Dream scenario for Chennai, really. Time for a short break as we catch our breath after a fascinating phase of play.

After 8 overs, RCB 57/3 - ABD GONE!

Oh dear. RCB are in deep, deep trouble. Kohli and ABD gone in back to back overs. Dhoni’s lightning quick hands behind the stumps at play again. The South African tries to reverse sweep, but misses the turn and is off balance, Dhoni is quick to dislodge the bails.

(Bhajji dropped a sitter off Parthiv Patel earlier in the over too... will that prove costly?)

After 7 overs, RCB 51/2- KOHLI GONE!

WOW. What a wicket! What a moment. Jadeja strikes with his first ball. The RCB skipper fails to read the straighter one and is bowled. Jadeja’s reaction after dismissing Kohli was... quite interesting. No real hint of celebration. Was he worried about his place in the Indian team?

Don’t mess with the skipper, eh?

After 6 overs RCB 47/1

Interesting over from Ngidi to Parthiv. Four dot balls, one six, one four. Hits a six over fine leg but struggles with his timing otherwise, finishes with a heave through covers.

What a weird powerplay for Bangalore. Plenty of shots being played off the 36 balls, plenty of intent shown to be aggressive (especially Parthiv) but so many misses as well.

After 5 overs, RCB 37/1:

Shardul Thakur comes on to bowl and it’s another decent over for Chennai. Kohli hits a fantastic lofted straight drive of a good length ball, but after that Thakur goes short-short-short. Both Parthiv and Kohli frustrated with their timing.

After 4 overs, RCB 29/1

With Virat Kohli, a run-out always seems to be around the corner. Parthiv was a goner had Rayudu managed a direct hit from point. Poor calling by the RCB captain. Good over from Ngidi, just 3 from it.

After 3 overs, RCB 26/1

Kohli gets off the mark with a bad in the direction of third man. It ever was thus. Parthiv seemingly needed just one over to shake off the rustiness apparently - a lovely shot over long on, taking Willey on with the angle, and it’s the first six of the match.

After 2 overs, RCB 17/1 - McCullum gone

Oh Baz! The former Kiwi captain loves to come down the track against the quicks. He decides to take on Lungi Ngidi, but the South African youngster bowls a neat off-cutter. Baz can only sky this, and Shardul Thakur takes a good high catch - not before a juggle though. CSK’s fielding might have let them down there again...

Parthiv, though, is not fazed by the early wicket. Hits a couple of boundaries through the on-side. The first one just about cleared mid-on.

After 1 over, RCB 7/0:

Good first over from Willey. You can tell Parthiv Patel is rusty, struggling to get bat on ball. Gets hit on the body a couple of times. McCullum finishes the over with a nice little dab past short third man for four.

04:00 pm: David Willey, England’s T20 specialist, to start things off in his first IPL game. We are all set!

03:55 pm: CSK in a huddle, Dhoni with the pre-match team talk. Parthiv Patel, IPL’s journeyman, is out in the middle with Brendon McCullum.

03:50 pm: Some stats...

CSK have defeated RCB in the last five matches between the two teams.

724 - The number of runs Kohli has scored against CSK, more than any other player.

678 - The number of runs Dhoni has scored against RCB, more than any other player.

03:48 pm: Ian Bishop had said earlier that the pitch looks dry at a full length, and could help spinners. It’s a used pitch as well, so it could potentially get tougher to bat in the second innings. Good toss to lose for RCB?

03:45 pm: Playing XIs...

Chennai: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Dhruv Shorey, DJ Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, David Willey, Harbhajan Singh, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi

Bangalore: Parthiv Patel, Brendon McCullum, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Colin de Grandhomme, M Ashwin, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Md Siraj

03:37 pm: A lighter moment at the toss where Dhoni was struggling to remember all the changes and Virat Kohli reminded him towards the end. The two shared a laugh.

Changes for CSK - David Willey, Dhruv Shorey and Shardul Thakur in; Faf, Karn and Asif out

Changes for RCB - AB de Villiers, Parthiv and M Ashwin in: Quinton de Kock, Vohra and Sundar out

03:35 pm: Well, well. Three changes for both sides. Once again Dhoni pulls off a bit of a surprise by changing the team around quite a bit, says he wants to gauge his options before the serious part of the tournament. (Are CSK taking this game a bit lightly, reading between the lines?)

Playing XIs coming up...

03:30 pm: MS Dhoni wins the toss, Chennai will be bowling first.

03:25 pm: Sloppy fielding and lacklustre bowling let Chennai Super Kings down against Kolkata Knight Riders but coach Stephen Fleming strongly backed the side, saying one bad game does not mean it’s time for “chopping and changing.”

Ravindra Jadeja dropped Sunil Narine twice on six, off KM Asif’s successive deliveries. And it was Narine’s man-of-the-match winning all-round show – 32 runs and 2/20 – as KKR secured a six-wicket win over CSK with 14 balls to spare.

The loss also meant that CSK lost their top spot on the IPL table.

“We were exposed and I think sometimes it reflected on the bowling. Certainly we were on the backfoot with some good fielders making mistakes, it hit down a little bit,” Fleming said referring to Jadeja’s double blip.

“Look, that can happen in a long tournament... It’s not a great performance by any means but we have got hours rather than days to rectify. A loss just is a little slap on the face and hopefully it has not affected in day and half’s time and there’s still going to be hard work.”

03:20 pm: The last time these two sides met, AB de Villiers was on fire but unfortunately for Virat Kohli and RCB, so was MS Dhoni who put on a tactical masterclass in an epic run-chase.

03:15 pm: Big news, of course, is that AB de Villiers has been declared fit for the clash, but he will perhaps be rusty having missed two games due to fever. RCB, meanwhile, will miss the services of Quinton de Kock, who has taken time off to attend a wedding.

03:10 pm: Their batsmen are in top form but Chennai Super Kings would look to plug the bowling loopholes when they take on a struggling Royal Challengers Bangalore in a key IPL game between the southern rivals.

The Virat-Kohli led RCB, who edged out Mumbai Indians by 14 runs in their last game, will be eager to avenge their five-wicket defeat at home against the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Super Kings, who too will be keen to swiftly get back into the winning mode after suffering two defeats in their last three games.

For the star-studded RCB, the clash is a must-win encounter if it has to stay alive in the tournament and qualify for the play-offs.

03:05 pm: This is, of course, Chennai’s home game which means the venue is Pune. RCB look for momentum, CSK look to bounce back from some ordinary bowling performances in the past few games.

03:00 pm: Hello all and welcome to our live coverage of match No. 35 in IPL 2018. And it’s the return fixture of one of the most storied rivalries in the league – Chennai Super Kings take on Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Here’s how the table looks right now. It’s all very tight.