"The team is playing slightly better" - Aakash Chopra picks favorites for CSK vs RR IPL 2025 clash

Former India player Aakash Chopra has picked the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as the favorites heading into their IPL 2025 clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). He reasoned that the five-time champions are playing slightly better cricket and Sanju Samson and company haven't been able to finish games.

CSK will host RR in Match 62 of IPL 2025 in Delhi on Tuesday, May 20. A win for MS Dhoni and company will help them avoid the wooden spoon and ensure that the visitors finish last after the league phase.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that CSK have the edge in the battle between the two bottom-placed teams in IPL 2025.

"This is Rajasthan's last game. They will be done and dusted. The only thing they will try to do is to win this match so that they might not finish at the bottom of the table because you don't want the wooden spoon," Chopra said (15:10).

"I don't have too many expectations from Rajasthan. In whose favor are the scales tilted in this match? You can go with Chennai because the team is playing slightly better. Rajasthan come really close, but they finish really far. That's been their story," he added.

The Rajasthan Royals registered a six-run win in their IPL 2025 home game against the Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on March 30. CSK will hope to avenge that loss, resultantly ensuring that they don't finish last in an IPL season for the first time.

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"You will expect Sanju Samson to score runs in this match" - Aakash Chopra on RR's batting ahead of IPL 2025 clash vs CSK

Sanju Samson scored 20 runs off 16 deliveries in RR's IPL 2025 home game against CSK. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Reflecting on RR's batting, Aakash Chopra noted that it might be time to bid goodbye to Shimron Hetmyer and that Sanju Samson would want to be among the runs at his happy hunting ground.

"When I look at it from the batting perspective, I feel it's probably time to say tata, bye-bye to Shimron Hetmyer because the ₹11 crore you have spent hasn't been of any use. You will expect Sanju Samson to score runs in this match. He likes the Delhi ground as well," he said in the same video.

While observing that Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal would want to end the season on a high, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that Dhruv Jurel needs to improve as a finisher.

"Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal should end the tournament on a strong note. Dhruv Jurel is scoring runs, but is unable to finish. It means he is not the finished article yet. He has got the potential, but does not look a finished article," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra noted that there isn't much scope for changes in the Rajasthan Royals' bowling lineup. He opined that RR might overhaul their bowling department at the next auction.