The CSK vs RCB 2024 season opener gave Chennai Super Kings the perfect start to their title defence as they defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on March 22, 2024.

RCB recovered from a serious middle-order collapse to post 173/6, but Chennai completed the chase at 176/4 in 18.4 overs, winning with eight balls remaining.

The standout performer was Mustafizur Rahman, who produced a superb spell of 4/29 to remove four of RCB’s most important batters.

Rachin Ravindra then scored a rapid 37 from 15 balls on his IPL debut, while Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja finished the chase with an unbeaten 66-run partnership.

The full official match report is available on the IPL website.

CSK vs RCB 2024 Match Summary

Match Detail	Result
Tournament	IPL 2024
Match	Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Date	March 22, 2024
Venue	M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Toss	RCB won and chose to bat
RCB	173/6 in 20 overs
CSK	176/4 in 18.4 overs
Result	CSK won by 6 wickets
Player of the Match	Mustafizur Rahman
Best Bowling	Mustafizur Rahman – 4/29

The result also marked Ruturaj Gaikwad’s first match as CSK captain after MS Dhoni handed over the leadership one day before the tournament began.

Ruturaj Gaikwad Begins a New CSK Captaincy Era

One of the biggest stories before the opening match was the change in Chennai’s leadership.

On March 21, 2024, CSK announced that MS Dhoni had handed the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Dhoni had led Chennai to five IPL titles:

2010
2011
2018
2021
2023

Gaikwad therefore entered the 2024 opener with the difficult task of succeeding one of the most successful captains in IPL history.

You can read the official announcement here: Ruturaj Gaikwad takes over CSK captaincy.

His first major decision after RCB began aggressively was to introduce Mustafizur Rahman.

It changed the match.

RCB Start Fast Through Faf du Plessis

RCB captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bat.

He immediately attacked Chennai’s fast bowlers and helped RCB reach 41 without loss alongside Virat Kohli.

Du Plessis struck eight boundaries in his 35 from 23 balls, and for the first few overs it looked as though Bengaluru could build a very large total.

Then Mustafizur entered the attack.

Mustafizur Rahman Changes the Match

Mustafizur’s first over completely changed the momentum.

He dismissed du Plessis after Rachin Ravindra completed a diving catch at deep point.

Three balls later, he removed Rajat Patidar for a duck.

Deepak Chahar then dismissed Glenn Maxwell, leaving RCB at 42/3 by the end of the Powerplay.

Mustafizur returned later and struck twice more.

He dismissed:

Faf du Plessis
Rajat Patidar
Virat Kohli
Cameron Green

and finished with:

4 overs, 29 runs, 4 wickets.

The official IPL site named him Player of the Match.

That spell was the central reason Chennai were able to keep RCB below a much larger total.

Virat Kohli and Cameron Green Try to Rebuild

After the early collapse, Virat Kohli and Cameron Green tried to stabilize the innings.

They added 35 runs.

But Mustafizur broke the partnership by dismissing Kohli after a coordinated boundary catch involving Ajinkya Rahane and Rachin Ravindra.

Two balls later, he bowled Green.

RCB were suddenly 79/5 after 12 overs.

At that stage, a total around 140 appeared possible.

Instead, Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik produced one of the most important partnerships of the match.

Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik Rescue RCB

Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik initially focused on rebuilding.

Once they settled, they began attacking.

Rawat scored:

48 from 25 balls

while Karthik remained unbeaten on:

38 from 26 balls.

Together they added 95 runs from 50 deliveries for the sixth wicket.

The pair were particularly aggressive during the final six overs, in which RCB scored 83 runs.

Their partnership lifted Bengaluru from 78/5 to a competitive 173/6.

Without that recovery, Chennai’s chase could have been considerably easier.

RCB Batting Highlights

Batter	Runs	Balls
Anuj Rawat	48	25
Dinesh Karthik	38*	26
Faf du Plessis	35	23
Virat Kohli	21	20

RCB: 173/6 from 20 overs

Mustafizur finished with 4/29.

Rachin Ravindra Makes an Explosive IPL Debut

Chennai needed 174 to win.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra opened the innings and immediately attacked.

Gaikwad departed for 15, but Ravindra continued aggressively.

The New Zealand all-rounder struck:

3 fours
3 sixes

in a rapid 37 from only 15 balls.

His innings was particularly important because it prevented the required rate from building.

Even after his dismissal, CSK remained comfortably ahead of the chase.

Ajinkya Rahane Keeps the Momentum Going

Ajinkya Rahane followed with a useful 27 from 19 balls.

This is one small factual correction required in the current Buzz Content Corner article, which lists him as scoring 28.

Rahane and Ravindra added 33 from 18 balls before Ravindra was dismissed.

Rahane then continued attacking until Cameron Green removed him.

Cameron Green Gives RCB a Chance

RCB briefly threatened a comeback during the middle overs.

Cameron Green dismissed both:

Ajinkya Rahane
Daryl Mitchell

and finished with 2/27.

When Mitchell departed, Chennai were four wickets down.

RCB still had an opportunity to create pressure.

But Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja made sure there was no collapse.

Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja Finish the Chase

Shivam Dube entered as Chennai’s Impact Player, replacing Mustafizur.

Dube initially had to deal with RCB’s short-ball strategy, but he gradually found his rhythm.

Ravindra Jadeja provided experience at the other end.

The pair added an unbeaten:

66 runs from 37 balls

to finish the chase.

Dube finished on:

34 from 28 balls*

while Jadeja made:

25 from 17 balls.*

CSK reached 176/4 in 18.4 overs.

The six-wicket victory gave Gaikwad a win in his first IPL match as Chennai captain.

CSK Batting Highlights

Batter	Runs	Balls
Rachin Ravindra	37	15
Shivam Dube	34*	28
Ajinkya Rahane	27	19
Ravindra Jadeja	25*	17
Daryl Mitchell	22	18

CSK: 176/4 in 18.4 overs

RCB’s best bowler was Cameron Green with 2/27.

What Were the Main Turning Points?

Three moments decided the match.

1. Mustafizur’s first spell

RCB went from a strong opening position to 42/3 inside the Powerplay.

His dismissals of du Plessis and Patidar changed the momentum immediately.

2. Kohli and Green fall in the same Mustafizur spell

The pair had begun rebuilding before Mustafizur removed both.

At 79/5, Chennai gained control of the first innings.

3. Rachin Ravindra attacks immediately

A chase of 174 can become difficult on a slower Chennai surface if early wickets fall and the required rate rises.

Ravindra’s 37 from 15 prevented that.

By the time RCB slowed Chennai during the middle overs, the required rate remained manageable.

Why Mustafizur’s Spell Was So Effective

Mustafizur has built much of his career around variation rather than pure speed.

His effectiveness comes from changing:

pace;
length;
release;
cutter direction.

At Chennai, those variations made it difficult for RCB’s batters to attack cleanly once the ball stopped coming onto the bat as easily.

His 4/29 was not simply statistically impressive.

He dismissed four members of Bengaluru’s top five, including Kohli and captain du Plessis.

That gave his wickets unusually high match value.

What Happened When CSK and RCB Met Again in IPL 2024?

The return fixture produced a completely different result.

On May 18, 2024, RCB defeated CSK by 27 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

RCB scored 218, while Chennai needed to reach at least 201 not only to chase the target but to secure playoff qualification on net run rate.

CSK fell short.

Yash Dayal defended the final over, and RCB qualified for the playoffs while Chennai were eliminated.

Read the official IPL 2024 RCB vs CSK playoff-deciding match report.

That gives the season an interesting symmetry:

March 22: CSK comfortably beat RCB.

May 18: RCB beat CSK and ended Chennai’s playoff hopes.

CSK Finished Fifth in IPL 2024

Chennai ultimately finished fifth in the 2024 standings and narrowly missed the playoffs.

Ruturaj Gaikwad was CSK’s leading run-scorer that season with 583 runs, while Tushar Deshpande led their wicket-taking with 17.

So the opening victory was encouraging, but CSK were unable to convert that start into a playoff place.

The Rivalry Shifted Further Toward RCB in 2025

The following season saw RCB win both meetings.

At Chepauk in March 2025, Bengaluru defeated Chennai by 50 runs — RCB’s first win over CSK at the venue since 2008.

Then in Bengaluru, RCB edged CSK by two runs after posting 213/5, despite Ayush Mhatre scoring 94 and Ravindra Jadeja finishing unbeaten on 77.

That made the rivalry increasingly competitive after years in which Chennai had often dominated the matchup.

Latest CSK vs RCB Update: IPL 2026

The latest meeting continued that trend.

On April 5, 2026, RCB scored a huge 250/3 against CSK at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Tim David smashed 70 from just 25 balls*, while Devdutt Padikkal made 50.

CSK were bowled out for 207, giving Bengaluru a 43-run victory.

The 250/3 total was the highest IPL score ever recorded against CSK at the time.

Read the official IPL 2026 RCB vs CSK match report.

That later result shows how much the rivalry changed after Chennai’s comfortable victory in the 2024 opener.

CSK vs RCB: Recent IPL Results

Season	Result
2024 opener	CSK won by 6 wickets
2024 return match	RCB won by 27 runs
2025 at Chennai	RCB won by 50 runs
2025 at Bengaluru	RCB won by 2 runs
2026 at Bengaluru	RCB won by 43 runs

The 2024 opener therefore remains a memorable Chennai victory, but the results that followed shifted strongly toward Bengaluru.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won CSK vs RCB in the IPL 2024 opener?

Chennai Super Kings won by six wickets after chasing 174 in 18.4 overs.

What were Mustafizur Rahman’s figures?

Mustafizur took 4 wickets for 29 runs from four overs and was named Player of the Match.

How many runs did Rachin Ravindra score?

Rachin Ravindra scored 37 from 15 balls on his IPL debut.

What was RCB’s score?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru scored 173/6 from 20 overs.

What was CSK’s final score?

Chennai Super Kings reached 176/4 in 18.4 overs.

Who captained CSK in the match?

Ruturaj Gaikwad captained CSK after MS Dhoni handed him the role ahead of IPL 2024.

Who scored the most runs for RCB?

Anuj Rawat top-scored with 48 from 25 balls, while Dinesh Karthik made 38 not out.

What happened when RCB and CSK met again in 2024?

RCB won the return fixture by 27 runs and qualified for the playoffs at Chennai’s expense.

Final Takeaway

The CSK vs RCB 2024 opener was defined by one decisive spell.

RCB began strongly through Faf du Plessis, but Mustafizur Rahman dismantled their top order with 4/29, including the wickets of du Plessis, Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli and Cameron Green.

Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik rescued Bengaluru with a 95-run partnership, pushing the total to 173/6.

But Chennai never allowed the chase to get out of control.

Rachin Ravindra’s explosive 37 from 15 balls provided the ideal start, while Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja completed the job with an unbeaten 66-run partnership.

CSK won by six wickets, and Ruturaj Gaikwad began his captaincy era with a victory.

What makes the match even more interesting in retrospect is what followed.

RCB reversed the result later in IPL 2024 to eliminate Chennai from playoff contention, beat CSK twice in 2025, and then recorded a 43-run victory in their 2026 meeting.

So the opening match remains an important snapshot of a rivalry that changed considerably over the next two seasons.

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