The Rajasthan Royals pose a serious challenge to the Chennai Super Kings on a turning pitch. The Royals will need to change their approach as they played their last two games in batting-friendly conditions at Guwahati. However, even in turning conditions, the Royals’ batters may hold an edge over CSK, going by history. Jos Buttler’s record against finger spin in the IPL over the last five years is exceptional, as he has an average of over 100 with a strike rate of 156. Given his record against left-arm spinners (SR of 161.93), Sanju Samson could also prove to be a vital component. The main question is how CSK will counter this challenge as they aim for their third win in a row after losing the opening game. CSK approaches this game on the back of their big win against rivals Mumbai Indians, where their own spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Ravindra Jadeja had a significant impact. Maheesh Theekshana is likely to debut and join the pair after arriving in time from New Zealand. In the batting department, Ajinkya Rahane’s sparkling debut for the franchise should keep them feeling optimistic, especially with Ben Stokes set to miss this fixture as well. Rahane’s previous issues against spin could prove to be a test if he continues to bat at No.3. Amidst all the discussion of a potential mouth-watering spin battle between these two outfits, the game could be anticlimactic if the surface turns out to be quite flat, as it was last week against Lucknow Super Giants. Over 420 runs were scored that night, and MS Dhoni admitted that he was surprised with how the surface played. Perhaps for a change, the chances of the fortress not being breached could stay high if a similar surface is dished out. The game is set to take place on Wednesday, April 12th, at 19:30 IST, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Even Dhoni sometimes doesn’t know what to expect, as he admitted after the LSG game. While the surface at the ODI last month against Australia assisted turn, the one against LSG was a belter. For Chennai Super Kings, Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana have joined the squad ahead of the game, and the former is likely to slot in straightaway. Ben Stokes and Deepak Chahar are set to remain on the sidelines, but CSK will be boosted by Moeen Ali’s availability. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s early success in this year’s IPL and his record against Trent Boult are matters of concern, as he has been dismissed by the NZ seamer three times in 21 deliveries. CSK will need to counter Boult’s early threat with the help of his teammate Devon Conway. For Rajasthan Royals, CSK’s worst economy rate (11.44) in the powerplay this season is a concern. Royals has the ideal batter up top to take full advantage of that in the form of Yashasvi Jaiswal. The young left-hander has an incredible strike rate of close to 200 in the powerplay this season and could prove to be the difference-maker if the track turns out to be slow. Trent Boult has picked up 19 wickets in the first over in IPL since 2020, and since 2022, Maheesh Theekshana has picked 12 wickets at the death in T20s at an impressive economy rate of 7.33. Buttler, who is Jaiswal’s opening partner, spoke highly of Jaiswal’s potential: “He has got an incredibly bright future ahead of him. Just with more time in his game and development, 1-2 years is a long time when a player of his age is sort of developing so he is just getting better and better. I’m sure he has more levels he can climb as well. But he is playing with real clarity, with real confidence, has good shots all around the wicket. Enjoying getting to bat with him.”
