CSK Predicted Playing XI vs RR for Match 61 of IPL 2024

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) face off against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 61 of IPL 2024 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, May 12. The Men in Yellow desperately need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

With 12 points from as many matches, the Super Kings cannot afford to slip up. They come into this contest without much momentum, having lost three of their last five matches. They will also be up against one of the most dangerous sides in the competition.

Uncharacteristically, CSK have made plenty of changes throughout the season. It remains to be seen if the same transpires in Chennai.

CSK's squad for IPL 2024: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ajay Mandal, Nishant Sindhu, Mitchell Santner, Maheesh Theekshana, Prashant Solanki, Deepak Chahar, Matheesha Pathirana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Mukesh Choudhary, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh, Shaik Rasheed, Daryl Mitchell, Sameer Rizvi, Mustafizur Rahman, Rachin Ravindra, Shardul Thakur, Aravelly Avanish Rao, Richard Gleeson

On that note, here is CSK's predicted playing XII (including an impact sub) for Match 61 of IPL 2024 against RR:

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Openers: Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane and Rachin Ravindra can't seem to buy a run at the moment, and it would be totally understandable if CSK drop either of them to beef up the middle order and the bowling unit.

However, Ravindra was only brought back into the XI in the last game, where he was run out. Rahane, meanwhile, clearly has the backing of the team management. It hasn't helped that young Sameer Rizvi hasn't quite found his feet this year.

So, Chennai could persist with the same opening combination, although it doesn't seem like the form of both batters is anywhere close to ideal.

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Middle Order: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk)

Ruturaj Gaikwad could bat at No. 3, followed by Daryl Mitchell and Shivam Dube. Dube, in particular, will be key against the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal.

Moeen Ali notched up his first half-century of the tournament in the last game and will want to build on that. Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni will make up the lower-middle order.

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Lower Order: Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh

Without Deepak Chahar, Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman, CSK are woefully short of options in the bowling department. They dropped Richard Gleeson in the last game, and while the Englishman and Maheesh Theekshana are options on the bench, the same unit could continue.

Mitchell Santner and Simarjeet Singh were excellent against the Punjab Kings, so it would be harsh to drop either of them. Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande will need to step up once again.

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CSK's predicted playing XII (inc. impact sub): Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh

Other impact sub candidates: Shaik Rasheed, Mukesh Choudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Prashant Solanki, Sameer Rizvi