Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand), Virender Sharma (India), Ulhas Gandhe (India, TV)
The pitch will aid fast bowlers and the dew setting in later in the evening would make life even more difficult for spinners. But, having said that, the pitch has slowed down over the course of the past one month and it would be ideal for the captain winning the toss to bat first and put up something around 170 runs on the board.
It would be a hot and humid day with temperatures hovering between 31 and 30 degree celsius. We are in for full 40 overs.
Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings occupy the eighth and seventh positions in the points table respectively and both of them have lost their previous matches. However, both MS Dhoni and Steve Smith would be aware that a win tonight will take them up to fifth position - just 2 points away from the top 4. While RR have showed signs of a combined team performance in odd patches, CSK have been over-reliant on their top four batters with significant cameos coming from Ravindra Jadeja off late. The four-time IPL champions would again be staring at the in-form Faf du Plessis and Shane Watson to get them off to a good start, while the RR pace trio of Jofra Archer, Kartik Tyagi and either of Jaydev Unadkat or Varun Aaron would look to make early inroads and expose CSK's soft underbelly - their middle-order. On the other hand, RR have lost wickets in the middle period this season and CSK would definitely look to capitalise on it.
Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by 7 wickets
MS Dhoni (at the post-match conference): There was a bit for the fast bowlers. The reason I brought on Jadeja was to see how much it's stopping. But it didn't stop much. In the second innings I think it got better because our spinners didn't get the same bite. It's about going back to the process, and then see if the process is wrong. We play in front of millions of people so there is nothing to hide. We're trying a few things. You don't want to chop and change. Insecurity is something you don't want to prevail in the dressing room. Fair enough, this season we weren't really there.
Nobody would have given a chance to CSK at the halfway stage but Deepak Chahar and Josh Hazlewood started off on a spirited note and quickly snaffled up three wickets. Chahar was especially impressive as he troubled nearly all RR batsmen. However, after both Chahar and Hazlewood bowled out, CSK lost the plot and RR through a sublime knock of Jos Buttler stormed back into the match. Skipper Steve Smith looked fidgety throughout his inning but he held one end tightly and ensured that Jos blasted from the other end.
Unlike the RR spinners, the CSK spinners went for plenty and it dented MSD's plan to choke the RR middle-order. Shardul Thakur looked out of sorts today and leaked runs from his end when the team was defending a paltry total.
In the end, RR cantered to victory with 15 balls to spare which would have done a whole lot of good to their dismal run rate as the men-in-blue and pink continue to fight for the fourth spot in the points table. They have catapulted to the fifth spot in the table and live to fight for another day. Meanwhile, CSK have submitted their hopes of making to the playoffs in the hands of fate and if they win all the remaining matches and some results come their way, then only the men from Cheapauk can reach the playoffs. However, that being said, with the current team at disposal of MSD, it would be difficult to presume that this team has the legs to go the distance.
So that's that from our side, this is Abhinav Singh and my partner Shashwat Kumar signing off. See you all tomorrow at the same time as we bring to you all the live-action with minute precision and immaculate analysis. Until then, stay safe, stay indoors and keep washing your hands, Goodnight fellas!
17.3 Ravindra Jadeja to Steve Smith, back of a length delivery on middle and leg stump and Smith just eases that one towards deep mid wicket to complete a professional victory for the Rajasthan Royals!
SCORES-LEVEL!
17.2 Ravindra Jadeja to Jos Buttler, full delivery down the leg side. Buttler gets inside the line and tucks it off his pads to fine leg for one
17.1 Ravindra Jadeja to Jos Buttler, length delivery outside off. Buttler stands tall and punches to backward point
The formalities remain now and RR will be looking to kill the game in this over! CSK just gave up after the initial burst
2 required in 18 delivers, Jadeja to bowl the 18th over
16.6 Piyush Chawla to Steve Smith, googly on a length outside off stump. Smith does not seem to read the variation early and jabs at it hurriedly as he gets a bottom edge that bounces towards Dhoni
16.5 Piyush Chawla to Jos Buttler, full delivery outside off stump. Buttler plants his front foot and smears it to the right of long on for another single. Over to you, Steve!
16.4 Piyush Chawla to Jos Buttler, SIX! BOOM! Length delivery on middle and leg stump and Buttler comes down the track menacingly. He gets a decent connection on it and just about clears Jadeja at long on! Jadeja took a one hand stunner but couldn't keep the balance and couldn't throw the ball back! Either way, it would have only delayed the inevitable
16.3 Piyush Chawla to Steve Smith, full delivery on off stump. Smith gets onto the front foot before opening the face of the bat to fetch himself a single past extra cover. In single figures now, 9 off 21 deliveries
16.2 Piyush Chawla to Steve Smith, slower on a length on off stump. Smith waits for the ball before defending it into the off side. A loopy delivery from the leggie but Smith didn't fell for the bait
16.1 Piyush Chawla to Steve Smith, FOUR! Right in the slot on off stump and Smith clears his front leg before smoking that one way over mid wicket for another boundary! RR want to pump up their dismal run rate and therefore they are going for the big shots!
Shardul Thakur finishes his four overs quota wicketless but gives away 34 runs on a night when CSK are defending 126. Got to say, not the greatest of efforts from the pacer!
Second Strategic timeout has been called and it can only delay the inevitable for CSK! As much as our heart breaks to say this but the men-in-yellow will most certainly be not making the playoffs after today's loss
15.6 Shardul Thakur to Steve Smith, back of a length delivery outside off stump. Smith stays leg side of the ball and carves it past backward point towards third man for a single
15.5 Shardul Thakur to Jos Buttler, back of a length delivery on middle and leg. Buttler hops onto his toes and tucks it off his hips towards deep backward square leg for one
15.4 Shardul Thakur to Steve Smith, back of a length delivery outside off stump. Smith goes back and across before swatting it down the ground to long on for one. Smith hasn't timed a lot of deliveries today but he has held onto one end!
15.3 Shardul Thakur to Jos Buttler, length delivery on middle and leg stump. Buttler leans into his shot and eases it down the ground towards long on for another single. 17 required in 27 deliveries. Surely RR cannot bottle it now
15.2 Shardul Thakur to Jos Buttler, back of a length delivery on off stump. The ball just stands up in the surface and hits the splice of the bat as Buttler defends into the off side. Matter of time before Buttler tees off!
