Watch: Rachin Ravindra's two catches instigate a minor collapse for RCB

In the ongoing IPL 2024 clash between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane showcased exceptional presence of mind and athleticism to dismiss Virat Kohli.

Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli provided RCB with a solid start, amassing 41 runs swiftly before Mustafizur Rahman claimed du Plessis’ wicket and Rajat Patidar’s in the fifth over, putting CSK in a commanding position. In the subsequent over, Deepak Chahar removed the threatening Glenn Maxwell, further denting RCB’s progress at 42 for 3.

Kohli and Cameron Green then stabilized the innings, but just as Kohli seemed to be settling in and preparing to accelerate, Rahane intervened with a remarkable effort. CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad reintroduced Mustafizur into the attack, which yielded immediate dividends.

Rahane and Ravindra shine as CSK takes control against RCB

Brilliant relay catch 👌
Timber strike 🎯

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On the second delivery of the over, Mustafizur delivered a back-of-length ball, prompting Kohli to attempt a pull shot. Though Kohli made decent contact, the lack of pace on the delivery prevented him from clearing the boundary. Despite placing his shot between two deep fielders, Kohli’s hopes were dashed by Rahane’s exceptional fielding.

Rahane charged in from deep mid-wicket, executing a sliding catch before swiftly returning the ball to Rachin Ravindra as his momentum carried him towards the boundary. Replays confirmed Rahane’s release of the ball before touching the boundary, leaving Kohli with no choice but to depart.

Making their IPL debut in this match, Mustafizur Rahman and Rachin Ravindra wasted no time in leaving their mark, taking less than five overs to announce their presence. RCB captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bat first.

Watch Rachin Ravindra’s catch:

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Du Plessis came out aggressively, accumulating 31 runs off just 20 balls by the end of the fourth over. He dispatched Deepak Chahar for a boundary in the opening over and added two more off Tushar Deshpande’s bowling in the second over. In the third over, he punished Chahar with four boundaries.

With Du Plessis in sublime form, CSK needed something extraordinary to dismiss him, and Rachin Ravindra provided exactly that. Ruturaj Gaikwad entrusted Mustafizur Rahman with the fifth over, and it took just three balls for him to make an impact.

SEE ALSO: CSK vs RCB, Match 1, IPL 2024: Mustafizur’s early breakthrough sends RCB on backfoot

On the fourth delivery of the same over, Mustafizur struck again, removing Cameron Green for 18, leaving RCB struggling at 78 for 5. As of the report’s writing, Anuj Rawat showcased brilliance with a remarkable 48-run innings, forming a crucial partnership of 95 runs with the experienced Dinesh Karthik (38*), propelling Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a total of 173 for six against Chennai Super Kings.