In a quest to keep their Playoff hopes alive, Rajasthan Royals (RR) will take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a must-win game in Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening. With just four wins in 11 matches, Rajasthan's chances of making it to the last four stage are hanging by a thread. On the other hand, CSK became the first team to qualify for the next round. Hence, it is going to be a tough ask for Rajasthan, who has won just one match in the UAE leg of the IPL.
A key factor behind CSK's remarkable turnaround this season has been the number of different players have delivered. There has been stability and reliability in both batting and bowling. Their openers have provided good starts on most occasions, the middle order has built on that platform, and the bowlers – both pacers and spinners – have gone about their business in clinical fashion.
Rajasthan, on the other hand, are still in search of a solution to their batting woes. Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are the only ones among the runs, as the likes of Liam Livingstone, Riyan Parag and Rahul Tewatia are yet to make an impact. Rajasthan might look to play one of David Miller or Glenn Phillips ahead of the out-of-form Chris Morris, who has failed miserably in this UAE leg with both bat and ball.
On the bowling front, barring Morris, the others have done a decent job. But against a team like CSK, they have to come up with a clinical performance.
Likely XIs
Rajasthan Royals: Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Liam Livingstone/David Miller, Mahipal Lomror, Riyan Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Oshane Thomas, Chetan Sakariya, Kartik Tyagi, Mustafizur Rahman
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, M.S. Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood/Sam Curran.
Betway Fantasy tips
- Back Dhoni to use his spinners extensively. Against the likes of Lewis and Jaiswal, he may get Moeen to bowl a few overs. You can think about picking him as the captain of your fantasy team.
- Samson, Rajasthan's in-form batter, has a poor record again CSK. Give it a good thought before picking him as the captain of your fantasy team.
- Lomror has been a shining light for Rajasthan with both bat and ball and ideally you should have him in your team.
Prediction
In comparison with Rajasthan CSK is much ahead in all three departments and they should win this contest easily.
Blitzpools Fantasy XI:
Sanju Samson (wk), Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Moeen Ali (c), Mahipal Lomror, Deepak Chahar, Mustafizur Rahman, Shardul Thakur