RCB or CSK? R Ashwin Picks His Favourite Ahead Of Blockbuster IPL 2026 Showdown: 'My Heart Is Saying...'

IPL 2026: Rajat Patidar-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will lock horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 11th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, April 5.

The Bengaluru-based franchise has enjoyed a strong start to the 2026 season. In the opener, RCB faced Sunrisers Hyderabad and clinched a six-wicket win on March 28. Speedster Jacob Duffy was named Player of the Match for his three-wicket haul against the Hyderabad side.

On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings have struggled to find momentum. CSK have played two matches so far and suffered defeats in both fixtures. In their campaign opener, they lost by eight wickets to Rajasthan Royals (RR) on March 30. They then went down by five wickets to Punjab Kings (PBKS).

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R Ashwin Predicts Winner Of RCB vs CSK Clash

Ahead of the crucial clash, former cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin shared his thoughts on the contest. Ashwin admitted he has a “yellow” heart, saying that while his heart wants CSK to win, his brain predicts RCB will come out on top.

“I would never call them overwhelming favourites. My heart always beats a bit yellow. I don’t have any shame in that. In this game, my heart is saying CSK, but my brain is saying RCB. What can I say? In the first game, CSK were all out for 127 against RR. It was overcast conditions, the pitch was under covers, and all that, and you went with this combination. It was an aberration,” Ashwin said, as quoted by India Today.

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CSK Yet To Score Maiden Points In IPL 2026

Currently, Chennai sit at the bottom of the IPL 2026 standings with a net run rate of -2.562, still searching for their first points of the season. Meanwhile, RCB occupy fourth place with two points and a net run rate of +2.907.