CSK vs RR IPL 2023 Match Preview 

(Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals)

Can Rajasthan Royals upset the Chepauk fortress of Chennai Super Kings?

Usually, playing at Chepauk stadium gives an advantage to Chennai Super Kings, but Rajasthan Royals have the ability to counteract this advantage. 

Rajasthan Royals had a small setback when they lost a close game against Punjab Kings, but they have now won their recent matches against Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. In all three games this season, their batters have scored more than 190 runs, and Trent Boult has taken two wickets in one over twice. However, their spin attack of Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin, who has taken the most wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in IPL history, may be their biggest advantage if the playing conditions at Chennai remain the same.

Chennai Super Kings have MS Dhoni as their leader, so they are not worried. They have won 41 out of 57 home games in the IPL, which is almost 72%, making them the best team at home. Their recent win against Mumbai Indians showed that their batting is powerful enough to compete with the best teams. However, their seam bowlers are struggling, but they have a spin attack that can control games in favorable conditions. Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner are doing well, and the Sri Lankan Maheesh Theekshana may join the team.

Venue

The pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai is a brilliant one to bat on. In the last match, the teams scored more than 400 runs altogether, even though spinners had enough support. Spinners took eight wickets out of 14 in the game, which helped them. Pacers didn't get much support, as only one wicket fell in the first six overs of both innings. If you win the toss, choose to chase because there may be dew later in the match.

Favours : 

Spinners In the later stages of the game, the pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium tends to help spinners as it wears out quickly. But in the early overs of the game, the pitch can be good for batsmen as the ball comes onto the bat easily.

Post TOSS

The team winning the toss at this venue should opt to bowl first.

Average 1st Inning score 

Average 1st innings score : 167 runs.

Team News

Deepak Chahar and Ben Stokes are ruled out due to injuries - Chahar's hamstring and Stokes' toe. Both are set to miss the today's match. Theekshana might be an option, but Chennai Super Kings may have to choose between benching one of their South African seamers or Santner or continuing to keep Moeen Ali out. Additionally, it will be challenging to drop Ajinkya Rahane from the playing XI after his impressive performance of scoring 61 runs in 27 balls against Mumbai.

Head to Head

Expected Playing XI & Batting order

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Possible Playing 11
1 Devon Conway, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Ajinkya Rahane / Moeen Ali, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dwaine Pretorius, 8 MS Dhoni (Cpt, Wk), 9 Mitchell Santner, 10 Maheesh Theekshana / Simarjeet Singh, 11 Tushar Deshpande 

Rajasthan Royals (RR) Possible Playing 11

1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Jos Buttler, 3 Sanju Samson (Cpt, Wk), 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Dhruv Jurel, 7 Jason Holder, 8 R Ashwin, 9 M Ashwin, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Stats Fact

• In T20s, Buttler has faced difficulties against Santner and Theekshana, scoring 26 runs in 24 balls and 19 runs in 25 balls respectively. On the other hand, Moeen has managed to dismiss him three times in seven innings and has given away only 46 runs in 39 balls
• The partnership between Conway and Gaikwad has been inconsistent, with three century stands and five single-digit stands recorded so far.
• Rahane's strike rates against Sandeep, R Ashwin, Chahal, and Boult are weak, with rates of 92.20, 116.66, 107.69, and 97.22 respectively, and he has been dismissed a total of 12 times by these four bowlers in T20s
• In the IPL 2023, the Royals and Super Kings, known for their impressive powerplay batting, will compete against each other. The Royals have an average run-rate of 11.66 and score 52.5 runs per wicket in the first six overs, while the Super Kings have a corresponding rate of 11.00 and score 66.00 runs.
• Trent Boult's new ball bowling form has been outstanding, and he could be eager to bowl to Gaikwad, who has been dismissed by that style of bowling 11 times in 19 IPL innings. He has picked 19 wickets in the first over in IPL since 2020.
• Maheesh Theekshana has recorded a remarkable economy rate of 7.33 while taking 12 wickets in the death overs of T20 matches since 2022.

Selections for Fantasy cricket (Dream 11)

1. Jos Buttler - He has maintained a good run of form for the Royals in the current season, scoring 152 runs in three matches and holding an average of 50.67 with a strike rate of 180.95. Given his ability to consistently score big runs, he is an excellent choice for the CSK vs RR Dream11 prediction team.
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad - He has emerged as the top-performing batsman in the team, scoring 189 runs in three matches, including two half-centuries, and has demonstrated his capabilities against both pace and spin. Given his adaptability to the conditions at the Chepauk surface, he is a valuable asset for your CSK vs RR Dream11 prediction team.
3. Yashasvi Jaiswal - He has been the star batsman for the Royals this season, with two fifties in three matches. He has scored 125 runs so far, with a strike rate of 164.47. Jaiswal's impressive form makes him a strong candidate for your CSK vs RR Dream11 prediction team.
4. Ravindra Jadeja - He is coming off a player-of-the-match performance against the Mumbai Indians, where he claimed four wickets in three matches, including a three-fer against MI.
5. Moeen Ali - After missing the previous game against Mumbai Indians, he is expected to make a comeback to the Chennai Super Kings side. In his last appearance at Chepauk, he picked up four wickets, although his off-spin may not be as significant in the upcoming match. However, with his exceptional IPL strike rate of 143.81 and impressive abilities to play spin, Moeen is considered an outstanding all-rounder.
6. Yuzvendra Chahal - His exceptional performance with the ball has been outstanding, claiming eight wickets in three matches, despite being a bit expensive. This season, Chahal holds an average of 11.75, and with favorable pitch conditions.

Prediction for Match result

Rajasthan Royals may win the match. 

In conclusion, the upcoming match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai promises to be an exciting contest. While Chennai Super Kings have a formidable record at home, Rajasthan Royals have the ability to counteract this advantage, especially with their spin attack comprising Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin. The pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium favors spinners in the later stages of the game, and the team winning the toss should opt to bowl first. Chennai Super Kings will miss the services of Deepak Chahar, while Ben Stokes is also ruled out due to injury. The Sri Lankan Maheesh Theekshana may make his debut for Chennai, but they will have to make some tough calls regarding their team selection.