Watch: Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina share heartwarming moment ahead of CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 clash at Chepauk

Ahead of the IPL 2025 clash between CSK and RCB, a heartwarming moment was captured when Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina shared an embrace during RCB’s practice session. CSK opted to bowl first with a slight change in their lineup, while RCB captain Rajat Patidar expressed confidence in setting a competitive total.

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the much-anticipated IPL 2025 clash between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at MA Chidambaram Stadium, a heartwarming moment between Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina stole the spotlight.

During RCB’s practice session, Kohli was honing his shots near the boundary ropes when former CSK star Suresh Raina approached him from behind and both embraced each other in a warm hug.

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

The two exchanged pleasantries before Kohli resumed his batting drills. The moment was captured on camera and quickly went viral, delighting fans of both teams.

WATCH:

With the Southern Derby intensifying on the field, the toss saw CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad opt to bowl first, citing favourable pitch conditions.

“It will play slightly better than the last game. We don’t know when the dew will arrive, but we have to be prepared,” Gaikwad stated. CSK made one change, bringing in Matheesha Pathirana for Nathan Ellis.

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar admitted they would have preferred to chase but remained confident. “We had decided to bowl first, but it won’t make much difference. The surface looks hard, and we’ll aim to set a competitive total,” Patidar remarked. Bhuvneshwar Kumar replaced Rasikh Salam in RCB’s lineup.

CSK vs RCB Playing XIs

Chennai Super Kings XI: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed
Royal Challengers Bengaluru XI: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal

Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.Read More

End of Article