Chennai Super Kings began the tournament on a slightly slippery note. They posted a good total against DC but failed to defend that. CSK came back strongly in the 2nd game and blew away PK. They picked up crucial wickets in the powerplay to dent PK’s innings. They are riding high on confidence and will be eager to continue the good work. Deepak Chahar’s return back to form augurs well for the CSK brigade. They possess one of the most balanced teams in the IPL. Once they get on a roll it will be difficult for teams to stop them.
Rajasthan Royals have fought till the very end in both their games. They narrowly lost against PK in their first game. RR valiantly stayed in the chase of a gargantuan total. They made amends in the second game against DC. Their tactic of taking pace off the ball worked wonderfully well. RR restricted DC to a below par score of 147. They were struggling at one stage (42-5) chasing the total. Their foreign players, David Miller and Chris Morris bailed them out. They will be wanting to continue their winning run.
CSK vs RR: Favourites?
CSK seemed to have turned back the clock in the last game when they completely outplayed PK at the same venue. It remains to be seen if their team has the dynamism to adopt to a high scoring wicket.
RR is one of those rare teams who surprisingly have got great depth and balance in their starting XI. They have utility cricketers at their disposal waiting to make their mark in the tournament. They start slight favourites in this game.
Which players will be match-winners in this game?
Deepak Chahar will be the one to look out for especially if the pitch aids seam and swing at the start of the innings.
David Miller looked in fine touch in the game against DC. His presence lends solidity to RR’s middle-order.
X-factor player:
Moeen Ali brings a lot of batting might at the top of the order. He surely is CSK’s batting X-factor.
Chris Morris came to the party with the bat in the game against DC. He will be keen to carry the good form.
Probable Playing XI:
Chennai Super Kings predicted XI:
Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (C&WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Imran Tahir
Rajasthan Royals predicted XI:
Jos Buttler, Manan Vohra, Sanju Samson (WK), David Miller, Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Jaydev Unadkat, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya
What do stats say about CSK vs RR?
CSK and RR have played 23 IPL games against each other.
CSK has won 14 matches. RR has won 9 games.
CSK’s highest score against RR is 246. RR’s highest score against CSK is 223.
CSK’s lowest score against RR is 109. RR’s lowest score against CSK is 126.
Pitch:
Wankhede wicket has been a batting beauty. The initial few overs have been sticky and teams have found it difficult to counter the seam and swing on offer. If teams can manage the first powerplay without losing wickets upfront, then there is a huge score for taking.
Weather Report:
A high of 33 degrees and a low of 27 degrees is expected. There are no chances of rain. Dew might play a big factor and teams will prefer to chase under such weather conditions.
Ground stats:
175 is the average score at this venue.
StumpsandBails verdict:
It is a battle between the experience of CSK and the exuberance of RR. RR start marginal favourites in this game.
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