Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals will clash against each other in the 12th match of the IPL 2021 season.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will lock horns in an intriguing match at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. Both sides are coming on the back of impressive victories in their previous matches. CSK secured a dominating win over Punjab Kings, defeating them by 6 wickets. On the other hand, RR secured a thrilling victory over Delhi Capitals.
Both sides got off to a poor start as they lost their opening game. CSK were defeated by Delhi Capitals, whereas, Rajasthan suffered a heart-breaking loss to Punjab Kings in their first game. Deepak Chahar was the star performer for CSK in their last game against PBKS, as he picked up four wickets and ran through the opposition’s top order. Moeen Ali delivered another impressive performance with the bat, and picked up one wicket as well.
As for Rajasthan Royals, it took an incredible effort from Chris Morris and David Miller to secure the two points. Chasing a target of 148 runs, the Royals were reduced to a score of 42 runs for the loss of five wickets in just under 10 overs. However, Miller rose up to the occasion and scored 62 runs off just 43 balls, which included 7 fours and one six. The job was completed by Chris Morris, who smashed 36 runs in just 18 balls, which included four huge maximums.
Jaydev Unadkat was the pick of the bowlers for RR, as he picked up three wickets and gave his side an early advantage. The left-armer was also adjudged the player of the match for his contribution with the ball.
Key Players
Moeen Ali has been a consistent performer with the bat for Chennai Super Kings. The all-rounder has been assigned the duty to bat at number three, ahead of Suresh Raina. The left-hander scored a handy knock of 36 runs in the first game against Delhi Capitals, and was brimming with confidence. He continued his fine form against Punjab Kings as he scored 46 runs off just 31 balls, which includes seven fours and one six. The Englishman also picked up one wicket in his three over spell, and is a vital part of CSK’s squad.
Deepak Chahar was back to his best against Punjab Kings as he had four scalps to his name. The Indian pacer picked key wickets of Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran. He was also awarded the man of the match for his astonishing performance. Moreover, he conceded just 13 runs in his four-over spell including a maiden over.
Jos Buttler has failed to hit top form so far this season. The Englishman has managed to score just 27 runs in his two innings so far, and was dismissed for just 2 runs in the last game. Buttler will continue to open the batting for the Royals, after Ben Stokes was ruled out of the season due to injury. He has a tendency of scoring runs at a rapid pace, and can be a serious threat to the opposition if he does get his eye in. He will be itching to score a big knock and he certainly has the quality to be a match-winner for his side.
Sanju Samson scored the first century of IPL 2021, after he registered a knock of 119 runs against the Punjab Kings. The Indian batsman almost took his team past the finishing line, but could not finish the job for his side. However, he was adjudged the player of the match despite being on the losing side. The RR skipper disappointed in the second game against Delhi Capitals, as he managed to score just 4 runs before he was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada. He will hope to bounce back from his disappointment and play another good innings for his side.
Match Prediction
Chennai Super Kings will be the more confident of the two sides, as they have a balanced side with incredible amount of depth in their bowling department. Rajasthan Royals lost their marquee player, Ben Stokes to injury and will have to do without his services for the rest of the season.
Chennai Super Kings were criticized for their batting performances last season, but they have managed to do well in their opening two games this season. Moeen Ali has been a revelation at number three, and has been attacking bowlers right from the word go. The presence of Suresh Raina at number four, makes their batting unit look much more settled with finishers like MS Dhoni, Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja in their squad.
Rajasthan Royals will have to rely on the likes of Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, and David Miller to consistently deliver good performances with the bat. CSK have a good bowling attack, which is likely to trouble the RR batsman.
