IPL 2024: Rachin, Rizvi handed debuts in Gaikwad's first match as CSK skipper; Alzarri in for RCB
Rachin Ravindra and Sameer Rizvi were on Friday handed IPL debuts as Chennai Super Kings were asked to field first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Ruturaj's debut as CSK captain.
New Zealand duo of Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Matchell were handed their Chennai Super Kings (CSK) debuts, with Rachin Ravindra even making his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ruturaj Gaikwad walked out for the toss for the first time as CSK skipper ahead of their home game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Chepauk. Gaikwad, however, lost his first toss as CSK skipper as RCB elected to bat.
Rachin Ravindra was impactful at the 2023 ODI World Cup, and ended up as New Zealand's top scorer with 578 runs. Mitchell, too, had a productive World Cup after having scored 552 runs. Ravindra and Mitchell were snapped up by CSK for Rs 1.80 crore and Rs 14 crore respectively.
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Sameer Rizvi, who went for Rs 8.40 crore, was also handed his IPL debut.
Gaikwad said that he was privileged to get the captaincy opportunity at CSK. "Feel privileged. But I want to try and be in my shoes, not fill anybody's shoes. (On captaincy) I got to know last week, but Mahi bhai hinted at it last year," he said at the toss.
RCB, meanwhile, named West Indian Alzarri Joseph in the playing XI. Joseoh was picked up at the auction by RCB for a whopping Rs 11.50 crore and it will be interesting to see if he will be able to live upto his price tag.
CSK are the defending champions coming into this edition, having beaten Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2023 final in Ahmedabad.
RCB, meanwhile, finished IPL 2023 in sixth place with 14 points. This is the first IPL season without either of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma captaining their respective sides.
Playing XI
CSK: Ruturaj Gaikwad(Captain), Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Daryl Mitchell, MS Dhoni, Deepak Chahar, Sameer Rizvi, Maheesh Theekshana, Mustafizur Rahman, Tushar Deshpande
RCB: Faf du Plessis(Captain), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Karn Sharma, Alzarri Joseph, Mayank Dagar, Mohammed Siraj
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