Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is uncertain about whether to pick the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) or Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as the clear favourites ahead of their IPL 2026 clash on Sunday, April 5.
RCB have a strong case for being the favourites in this encounter. They the defending champions, but they also have a solid record against CSK, having won the last three meetings between the two teams. In contrast, CSK head into the game with two consecutive defeats, losing to Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati and Punjab Kings at home.
“I would never consider them overwhelming favourites. My heart always leans a bit towards yellow, and I’m not ashamed of that. Right now, my heart says CSK, but my mind says RCB,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
After a heavy loss in their season opener against RR, CSK made significant changes to their squad, bringing in Prashant Veer and Rahul Chahar to replace overseas players Matthew Short and Jamie Overton. Despite Overton’s knock of 43, which helped CSK reach 127, Ashwin criticised the team’s decision to make wholesale changes after a single loss.
“What can I say? From a coach’s perspective, CSK were all out for 127 against RR. The conditions were overcast, and the pitch was under covers, but this was the combination they went with. It was an exception. These things happen in T20 cricket. But if you’re making so many changes for the next game, like replacing Matt Short and Jamie Overton with Prashant Veer and Rahul Chahar, then how many changes will you make after two consecutive losses?” he added.
Currently, CSK are at the bottom of the standings after losing its first two matches. They will need to make a quick recovery to stay in contention for a playoff spot after missing out on the top four in the previous two seasons (2024 and 2025).
