IPL 2025: Virat Kohli’s Spin Battle Against CSK’s Noor And Ashwin At Chepauk

March 28, 2025: When Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk Stadium, the spotlight will be on the legendary clash between RCB’s Virat Kohli and CSK’s MS Dhoni. Apart from the battle of the titans, all eyes will be on Kohli’s performance against two of CSK’s key spinners: Afghan sensation Noor Ahmed and the seasoned Ravichandran Ashwin.

Kohli has an impressive record against CSK, having scored 1,053 runs in 33 matches at an average of 37.60. His strike rate stands at over 126, with nine fifties and a best score of 90*. However, his performance at Chepauk has not been as stellar, with just 383 runs in 13 matches at an average of 29.46. Kohli has struggled against CSK’s spin attack in Chennai, making his upcoming battle against Noor and Ashwin even more intriguing.

Kohli’s spin game has seen a marked improvement in recent seasons. In IPL 2024, he took an aggressive approach against spinners, especially in the middle overs, utilizing the slog sweep. In 13 innings, Kohli scored 292 runs from 213 balls against spin, with a strike rate of 137.08 and an average of 58.50. This represents a noticeable improvement from IPL 2023, where his strike rate against spin was just over 113, and IPL 2022, where he struggled with a strike rate of 108 against spin.

Kohli’s encounters with Noor Ahmed have been promising. In four innings, Kohli has scored 58 runs in 40 balls at a strike rate of 145, including seven fours and a six. However, he has been dismissed once by Noor. Similarly, Kohli has a solid record against Ashwin, amassing 181 runs in 147 balls at a strike rate of 123.12. Despite being dismissed only once, Kohli has hit just 13 fours and six sixes in 23 innings against the spin legend.

As RCB prepares for this high-octane match, Kohli’s performance against the spinners will play a crucial role in the outcome. Will Kohli continue his aggressive approach against spin and dominate at Chepauk, or will the spin duo of Noor and Ashwin cause him trouble? The match promises to be a captivating contest, and Kohli’s ability to counter the spinners will be key to RCB’s chances.

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