Invited to bat, RCB captain Rajat Patidar top-scored with 51 off 32 deliveries while openers Phil Salt (32 off 16 balls), Virat Kohli (31 off 30 balls) and Tim David (22 not out off 8 balls) were the other notable contributors

Patidar was dropped thrice by CSK fielders but he made most of the reprieves to score 51 off 32 balls (4x4s, 3x6s), providing his side a much-needed impetus in the middle-overs, while David's late burst made up for a mid-phase slump.

For CSK, Noor Ahmad (3/36) was the pick of the bowlers while Matheesha Pathirana (2/36), veteran Ravichandran Ashwin (1/22) and pacer Khaleel Ahmed (1/28) chipped in with wickets

Despite aggressive knocks from Phil Salt and Devdutt Padikkal, RCB appeared to be struggling for momentum as Kohli's failure to accelerate, he had crawled to 14 off 20 balls by the ninth over, troubled the visiting side

With a winning start to IPL 2025, Chennai will look to carry forward their momentum in the upcoming matches, with their next clash against Bengaluru. Their resilience and ability to handle pressure were on full display in this opening clash, setting the stage for what promises to be another memorable season for the Yellow Army