IPL 2021, RR vs CSK preview: Despite Chennai being favourite, will Rajasthan make the job easier or harder?
By Ayush Gupta | First Published Oct 1, 2021, 6:58 PM ISTChennai Super Kings has sealed its IPL 2021 playoffs berth. While it faces an easy task against an unbalanced Rajasthan Royals, can the latter make Chennai struggle to win in this clash?
Former champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has been on a lethal and consistent roll in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, becoming the first to qualify for the playoffs. However, it would still look to continue with the same force when it takes on an inconstant former champion Rajasthan Royals (RR), in Match 47 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Here, we present the preview of this exceptional tie.
Current form
Rajasthan is placed seventh in the table, with four wins from 11 matches and has eight points. A win would keep it in contention for the playoffs, while a loss would severely dent its chances, as it is coming off a defeat to third-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
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As for CSK, it is placed on the top, with nine wins from 11, on 18 points, while it would still aim for success to consolidate the top two spots. It is coming off a win against bottom-placed SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Team composition
As for the teams, RR lacks ample star power, as it has made its batter more vulnerable to the opposition bowlers. Anyway, it still owns a deep pool of young and talented players who are determined and ready to give any team a challenging time. Its bowling attack has also been lethal, having proved against some of the top sides, while it can thrive even under strain.
CSK is moderately heavy on its bowling attack. However, its batting line-up has been commendable this season, having had a tough last season. But, things are going well for the side so far, while the focus would again be on the top guns like Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, and skipper MS Dhoni.
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Injury concerns: None of the sides has any injury concerns ahead of the game.
Head-to-head
The two sides have clashed on 25 instances, with CSK leading 15-10, while in 24 IPL games, CSK leads 15-9. Of the three games in the UAE, RR leads 2-1, while they have clashed once in Abu Dhabi and RR had the upper hand.
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Weather and pitch report
The weather in Abu Dhabi would be hot, with 36 degrees of an expected temperature and 62% humidity. The track would aid the batsmen while the side winning the toss might opt to chase.
Probable XI
RR: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Evin Lewis, Sanju Samson (c & wk), David Miller, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Mahipal Lomror, Chetan Sakariya, Kartik Tyagi, Mustafizur Rahman and Tabraiz Shamsi.
CSK: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Josh Hazlewood.
Fantasy XI
Batters: Parag, Gaikwad, du Plessis (vc)- Gaikwad and du Plessis are the apparent starters, while the latter's deadly form makes him the deputy skipper. Parag has been volatile but is being backed to consolidate in the middle.
Wicketkeeper: Samson (c)- A no-brainer here for his lethal batting form and out skipper.
All-rounders: Moeen, Bravo, Jadeja- The other three have been in a mortal form across departments, making them a must-have.
Bowlers: Sakariya, Rahman, Thakur, Chahar- All the four have been in an explosive form with their pace and are sure to make an impact.
Match details
Date and day: October 2, 2021 (Saturday)
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (Also available in HD, along with regional languages)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar
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